Putting some heavy cream on your cakes and muffins instantly changes the way that they taste. You can also add heavy cream to your coffee and tea to make them rich in taste and thicker in consistency. Heavy cream is also used to make whipping cream and is a very important ingredient in the dessert industry. But heavy cream consists of 36% of milk fat and that is what makes it so rich and velvety. Even though eating heavy cream with your favourite food is delightful, it is not the best thing for your health. It is extremely high in calories and very saturated in fats. This makes it immensely unsuitable for heart patients. To solve this problem, here are five heavy cream substitutes for better health.
* Half And Half
Half and half refers to a mixture that is made by mixing equal parts of light cream and whole milk. This leads to a resultant that is a balance of low-fat content and richness of flavours. The consistency of this mixture is lighter than cream but heavier than milk which makes it perfect to go with a lot of recipes. Moreover, this gives you a similar taste to heavy cream when you add it to your tea and coffee specifically. If you love having thick tea or cold coffee and cannot drink it without heavy cream, then try using a mixture of half and half.
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* Greek Yoghurt
Greek yoghurt is also a healthy substitute for heavy cream. Greek yoghurt is very low in calories and also high in fat content. It is high in protein and has a lot of probiotics which lead to better muscle health and digestive system. It is also heavily packed with the benefits of calcium that contribute towards better health. If you want to use Greek yoghurt instead of heavy cream then you have to mix milk as well as Greek yoghurt in equal parts. The cream that you will get will not have the right consistency to be whipped but you can use this in your soups, sauces and other similar dishes to get the right consistency and creaminess.
* Coconut Cream
Coconut cream is a healthy and vegan alternative for all those people who do not consume dairy products. This is directly extracted from the milk of coconut and has a very similar texture as well as consistency to that of heavy cream. But the good part is that it doesn't have similar kinds of saturated fats. It is also extremely rich in potassium. It is great for health and you will also see a lot of significant changes in your body. Once you start consuming coconut cream. You can use it in a lot of recipes and this is a flavourful and healthy alternative to your regular cream.
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* Cashew Cream
Cashew cream is made by blending some soap, nuts and almonds and it is dairy-free as well as a healthy alternative to high-fat and heavy cream. After blending you have good marks, and you will get a silky smooth texture of blended nuts. This is very similar to your heavy cream but it doesn't have the same kind of saturated fats. Also, the nutty cream has flavourful undertones of different notes that you have used for blending. It is both savoury and sweet and can be used to enhance the flavour of a lot of dishes. It is a great option for people who are lactose intolerant and still want to enjoy heavy cream.
* Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese is the most popular variety of cheese in India. It is used in making a lot of dishes including north Indian curries, parathas, sandwiches, and whatnot. A smooth blend of cottage cheese is a great substitute for heavy cream because not only is it low in fat but has multiple nutritional benefits. Due to its lower fat content, it has very less calories and also contains a significant amount of protein as well as calcium, both of which are great for our muscle health. When you blend some cottage cheese, you will get a very creamy consistency. This is proper to use as a topping for a lot of your dishes. You can also use this as a spread over your sandwiches instead of using unhealthy mayonnaise.
These are some great examples of healthy alternatives for your heavy and fat-based cream. All of these are not only low in fat but also have multiple nutritional benefits. Due to the diverse nutritional profile of the substitutes, it is appropriate to use them regularly and save your heavy cream only for special occasions.