Fried chicken, candied yams, veggies
flavored with a variety of seasonings, buttered rolls – cuisine in the
southern United States is characterized by a lot flavorful dishes.
Unfortunately, some of the common staples found in Southern cuisine is
also laden in saturated fat, which can affect your cholesterol if you
regularly include these foods in your diet. You can preserve the flavor
in many of your favorite Southern foods without significantly
sacrificing on taste. These healthy tips will show you how to modify
your favorite Southern dishes to make them more cholesterol-friendly.
Say “No” to Fried Foods
Southern cuisine has its fair share of healthy dishes – but it is
also notorious for deep frying some of its foods, too. Deep frying
foods can introduce
trans fats into
your diet – which has been linked to contributing to heart disease. The
good news is that you can still enjoy the crispness of your favorite
fried foods without introducing additional fat to your diet with a few
healthy cooking techniques:
- Coat your lean meats and vegetables in whole grain bread crumbs before placing in the oven to roast
- Instead of using bread crumbs to add crispness, coat your
pieces of lean meat with whole grain cornflakes or oatmeal before baking
in the oven. Try this oven “fried” chicken recipe for a low-fat take on
a Southern favorite: Oven “Fried” Chicken.
- Lightly brush the tops of your foods with olive or canola oil before placing in the oven to add a light crispness to them.
- Some foods – such as vegetables or whole grain breads - will
crisp beautifully in the oven or on the grill without adding anything to
them.
Making Your Main Courses Healthier
Many popular Southern main courses and side dishes are chock-full
whole grains, vegetables, proteins and fruit. However, some of the
ingredients that you add to these foods during the preparation process
may increase the fat and sugar content in the dish when you are cooking
them. Here are some healthy tips for preparing some of your favorite
staples in Southern cooking:
- Some meats used in Southern cooking, such as beef or pork,
can be high in saturated fat. In order to cut the amount of fat
introduced into the meal, try substituting a leaner protein – such as
chicken, turkey, or even a soybean-based product. If beef or pork are
desired, make sure that you select leaner portions and cut away any
excess fat before you cook them.
- Many gravies are made from the fat drippings that come from
the meat you are cooking, which is a source of saturated fat. Minimize
your consumption of these, if possible. Alternatively, you can place the
gravy in a separate dish on the side – instead of drenching your foods
in them.
- Instead of using white bread to make your dressing, use whole
grain bread. This will reduce the amount of refined sugars introduced
into your diet and increase your fiber intake.
- When preparing your foods, minimize – or completely cut out – butter. You can substitute a small amount of phytosterol spread or oil, such as vegetable oil, to cook with, if needed.
- Fruit and sweet potatoes are low in saturated fat and are
chock-full of fiber. Instead of peppering this sweet food with
more sugar, there are several alternatives you can use that will not add
calories to the dish. For instance, you can add healthy spices, such as
cinnamon, or fruit. You can also combine these with other fruit
pieces to bring out their sweetness.
- "Creaming" your veggies, or adding sour or heavy creams
to your vegetables, is a cooking technique that is used to add thickness
to the dish. Unfortunately, you are also adding saturated fat to these
otherwise healthy foods. If you want to add a little richness to your
veggies – without adding a significant amount of fat, you can add
low-fat varieties of cream, a dollop of Greek yogurt, or a pat of
phytosterol-rich spread.
- Do experiment with your favorite spices. Spices such as
pepper, paprika, sage, and rosemary will liven up your dish without
adding calories or fat to your vegetables.
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