Catherine Saxelby

Nutritionist, Blogger, Award Winning Author
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    Product snapshot: Tomato pasta sauces

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  • 21 June 2023

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  • 14 June 2023

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  • 07 June 2023

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  • 31 May 2023

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  • 17 May 2023

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  • 10 May 2023

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  • 03 May 2023

    Intermittent fasting vs daily calorie restriction

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  • 26 April 2023

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  • 19 April 2023

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7 healthy alternatives to spread on your daily bread

Written by Catherine Saxelby on Tuesday, 14 August 2012.
Tagged: butter, dairy, fat, fat loss, health, healthy eating, healthy lifestyle, oil, weight loss, wellness

7 healthy alternatives to spread on your daily bread
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Olive oil for dipping? Avocado, hummus or peanut butter? The debate rages as to what’s the healthiest spread for your daily (wholegrain) bread. Here’s my 7 healthiest alternatives to butter and margarine depending if you want sweet or savoury options or just want to grab something quick.

1. Avocado

Healthy, natural and good for you. This is one of my favs spread on crunchy grain toast with tomato, cucumber, chicken and rocket. Avocado is rich in monounsaturated fat – the same heart-friendly fat as in olive oil and macadamias – with little of the 'bad' saturated fat. At 22 per cent total fat, it's way lower than butter (80 per fat), margarine and most light variants so you can afford to spread it on thickly. I buy a small avocado if it's just for me or a large one if there's more to feed.

2. Hummus

Another healthy option. And practical as it can do double duty as a dip. Made from tahini (sesame seed paste), chick peas, lemon, garlic and salt, hummus has 15 to 20 per cent fat, a little less than avocado, but with the same benefit of it being low in saturated fat. Now that supermarkets sell tubs of it, it's easy to keep in the fridge. Use with cold lamb or on toast wedges of flatbread or crackers with a drink.

3. Olive oil

A Mediterranean favourite, cold pressed extra virgin olive oil is high in monounsaturated fat and contributes to the long-life that the Mediterranean foodies are renowned for! Drizzled on toast or used for dunking, it adds its fresh zesty flavour that beats the taste of margarine or butter – perfect with your morning eggs and tomato. Or try tossing tomatoes, fresh torn basil and pepper through a drizzle of olive oil and heap on fresh grainy bread or toasted rye sourdough.

4. Cottage cheese

A spreadable skim milk curd, cottage cheese is a great option for kids with its mild taste and interesting soft consistency. Spread on toast, crispbread or crackers. Go for the low-fat version and you'll be loving it with approximately 2 per cent fat!

5. Ricotta

Italian for 'twice-cooked', ricotta is similar to cottage cheese but is smoother in texture with no added salt. It can be a by-product of cheese (made from the whey leftover from other cheeses) or it can be made with cow's milk whey. Not only spreadable, ricotta can be used in baking, sweet or savoury, and in pasta dishes like lasagne. Try ricotta spread thickly on scones or toast topped with jam or honey.

6. Peanut butter

Peanut butter bread cut in half 4Convenient and kids love it. At around 50 per cent fat, it makes a great substitute for butter and adds a bonus of protein as well, which is handy if you're vegetarian. The 'purest' choice is a 100 per cent peanut variety which is often in the health food aisle. Many of the supermarket smooth or crunchy types have added oil and less peanut but they're still an OK choice. 

No added salt types taste fine – there's enough gutsy flavour from the peanuts so you won't miss the salt. Light peanut butter has approximately 30% less fat and saturated fat but usually has added sugar. I would prefer to use regular peanut butter - and spread it thinly - than to have peanuts with added sugar on my toast!

7. Light cream cheese

At 14 per cent fat, light cream cheese (Philly) offers you a nice soured-flavour change with around one-third less fat than the full-fat version. 

How much fat is in these spreads?

Saturated and total fat content per 100 grams compared to butter and margarine listed at the end:

Spread

 Saturated Fat
(per 100 g)

Total Fat
(per 100 g) 

Avocado   5 22 
Hummus   2 17 
Olive oil 15 100
Ricotta, original  7  9
Ricotta, reduced fat   4  5
Peanut butter, regular 11 52
Peanut butter, light (Kraft)  8 38
Cottage cheese   4  6
Cream cheese, Philadelphia regular  18 26
Cream cheese, Philadelphia light  10 14
Butter, regular, Devondale  55 81
Canola margarine, regular Gold'n Canola 16 65 

Butter or margarine?

That's a whole other debate in itself. See here for the whole story

Reviews

  • Product snapshot: Tomato pasta sauces

    Product snapshot: Tomato pasta sauces

    18 September 2023 by, Catherine Saxelby

    What’s in your favourite tomato pasta sauce, and how much of it? Here are the most popular sauces reviewed for your reading pleasure.

    I’ve rated nine of the most popular tomato pasta sauces in terms of their nutrition, ingredient lists and jar size. You’ll find many of these in your local supermarket. The sauces are ranked:

    • from Italian (Italy grows the reddest full-flavoured tomatoes) to Australian
    • per 100 grams, which is equivalent to 3½ ounces (the standard for comparing food products)
    • by serving size (varies between brands but is generally 100–175 g in size)
    • by ingredient list, jar size and where made (with each product’s website as the source)

    The bottom line

    When you’re next out shopping, run your eyes down the per 100 g column and look for products containing less than 400 mg sodium AND less than 5 g fat (which equals 5% fat). Most of the brands are below these levels. I like Barilla, Sacla, Leggo’s, La Gina and Mutti – but that’s just me!

    Read more
  • Product Review: Low-sugar alcoholic ginger beer

    Product review: Low-sugar alcoholic ginger beer

    1 March 2023 by, Catherine Saxelby

    Want something to drink before dinner? Something that’s LOWER in alcohol than wine? To match his beer? Then look no further than Bundaberg’s low-sugar alcoholic ginger beer.

    You can drink Bundaberg low-sugar ginger beer straight from the can, or pour it into a long glass over ice with a slice of lime.

     

  • Product snapshot: Khorasan Macaroni

    Product snapshot: Berkelo’s Khorasan Macaroni

    14 September 2022 by, Catherine Saxelby

    I’m loving this macaroni from Berkelo. I was sent a sample for Whole Grain Week 2022 by the Grains Legume Nutrition Council. I cooked it up and found that it was just divine! Read on for more …

  • Product Review: super-high-oleic-safflower-oil

    Product review: Super high-oleic safflower oil

    11 May 2022 by, Catherine Saxelby

    “What does super high-oleic mean?” I hear you ask.  Also, “I haven’t heard of safflower for ages. What’s the deal?” Read on and all will be explained.

  • Product Review: Healthy Life Food Tracker

    Product review: Healthy Life Food Tracker

    6 April 2022 by, Catherine Saxelby

    When I was first asked to write this review, I thought, Not another tracker.

    After all, there have been several in recent years, such as My Fitness Pal and Everyday Diet Diary. But this one is different. It works by using your Everyday Rewards card AND your shop at Woolworths.

  • Product review: Lite n' Easy

    Product review: Lite n' Easy

    20 October 2021 by, Catherine Saxelby

    With home delivery on the rise, this post is reviewing none other than that stalwart Lite n’ Easy. We all know their meals are good for weight loss (which we all need after COVID-19!), but did you know they’re also good for general health and wellbeing ? Eating well to nourish yourself – putting your mental health and wellbeing at the forefront – is gaining momentum. Lite n’ Easy meals also ensures you satisfy your need for vitamins, minerals, fibre and phyto-compounds, such as sterols and carotenoids.

    clipboardThis post has been sponsored by Lite n' Easy.  

     

  • Product review:  Birds Eye Plant Based range

    Product review: Birds Eye Plant Based range

    15 September 2021 by, Catherine Saxelby

    When you think of Birds Eye, their frozen peas and fish fingers probably come to mind. But I bet you’d never think of plant-based products!

    clipboardThis post has been sponsored by Birds Eye. 

Healthy Weight Loss

  • Intermittent fasting vs daily calorie restriction

    Intermittent fasting vs daily calorie restriction

    3 May 2023 by, Catherine Saxelby

    As you probably know already, intermittent fasting (IF) has gained favour as an alternative regimen to daily caloric restriction (DCR). Fasting is shown to extend the lifespan of rats, and has been associated with metabolic benefits in humans, yet the results so far have been inconsistent. So, which regimen is best for healthy weight loss?

    Read more
  • The lifestyle diet craze

    The lifestyle diet craze

    15 March 2023 by, Catherine Saxelby

    What sort of a diet should you follow to lose that excess weight? These days, it’s pretty confusing with high-protein Keto advocates clashing with plant-protein followers … as well as intermittent fasters, juice-only dieters, no-carb dieters and no-animal (aka plant-based) dieters. Plus all the ads for anti-hunger supplements, meal-replacement shakes and home-delivered meals, more of which somehow appear every day. So, what sort of diet should YOU follow to lose that excess?

  • Protein shakes for weight loss

    Protein shakes for weight loss

    9 November 2022 by, Catherine Saxelby

    These days, protein shakes aren’t bought by just body builders – they’re so popular that you can readily buy a 400 g tub at your local supermarket or service station. And with tempting claims such as ‘Facilitates muscle toning’, ‘Contains transformation-making protein’ and ‘Tastes incredible, mixes easily’, why wouldn’t you grab one? But protein shakes aren’t the magic answer to all your weight-loss woes. Let’s take a look at what you get for your money.

    Guest post by dietitian Zoe Wilson APD

  • What is your relationship with food and eating?

    How to beat those cravings

    20 January 2021 by, Catherine Saxelby

    Many of us have cravings from time to time and for different reasons. One thing is certain, they can sabotage all your best efforts at a healthy diet and/or weight loss. The good news? You CAN beat them. I’ll tell you how.

  • What is your relationship with food and eating?

    How to lose weight WITHOUT going on a diet

    14 October 2020 by, Catherine Saxelby

    The word 'diet' is a turn-off for most people. It sounds hard, unpleasant and unpalatable. Losing weight doesn’t have to be hard AND it doesn’t have mean sticking to a 'diet'. You can forget Paleo, Keto, Vegan and Raw, Gluten-free and Intermittent Fasting. To lose weight, you don’t have to follow any specific diet. What you need is simple, healthy, nutritious food and a few tips and tricks.

  • What IS a healthy balanced diet for weight loss?

    What IS a healthy balanced diet for weight loss?

    16 September 2020 by, Catherine Saxelby

    Healthy weight loss happens when you lose weight slowly and steadily (around 1 kg or 2 pounds weight loss a week). Your goal is to lose weight while still getting your essential nutrients but from smaller portions. You certainly don’t want to be tired with no energy! That’s why you need regular healthy meals and snacks on hand to ensure your vitamins, minerals, omega-3s and fibre needs can be easily met. There is a new range of healthy weight loss meals available and it’s one that I’d like to recommend. With these ready meals, you’ll say goodbye to meal planning, shopping, meal preparation and cooking.

    This post is sponsored by Chefgood 

  • Kitchen make-over for the New Year

    Kitchen make-over for the New Year

    8 January 2020 by, Catherine Saxelby

     “This year, I'm going to lose weight!”, or “This year I’m opting for a healthier lifestyle!” Is your 2020 New Year's resolution something like one of these? If so, how is it going to happen?