Healthy Substitutes to Alfredo

The easiest thing to substitute in Alfredo is the noodles. Normal pasta noodles are made with a refined white flour, which takes away those healthy fibers and grains. Also, those types of pastas pack a lot of calories, ranging from about 200-230 calories per cup. This makes it difficult to have a good sized meal with a smaller amount of calories, especially for those who are wanting to eat healthier without having to cut their portion sizes way down. 

Picture By Healthy Fitness Meals



Vegetables are the best substitute for pasta. Using a spiral cutter, or cutting your vegetables into a spiral, you can use those as your noodles. Zucchini is the most popular vegetable that is used for noodles, and they contain a lot of vitamin A and C, both antioxidants, which help to prevent unstable atoms from mutating into cancer in your body. Another good vegetable option is squash, also containing a lot of vitamin C. Called spaghetti squash, if you bake the inside of it, scraping out the baked inside creates a noodle-like texture, and is perfect for your pastas! Any vegetable that can be spiraled is a great alternative for a healthier pasta.




Heavy whipping cream is a harder thing to substitute, but people have found ways to do it. From my research, I found that a cottage cheese and milk blend can be used make thick sauces, such as the sauce for my Alfredo recipe. I would recommend finding low fat or fat free options for the cottage cheese and milk, for that will lower your saturated fat and trans fat intake. Lowering these will help with avoiding weight gain as well as help to prevent blood clots forming in your blood stream. Saturated and trans fat raise your LDL cholesterol levels, aka your "bad" cholesterol in your body, which will die in your bloodstream, eventually building up and causing a blockage. For those looking for a dairy-free alternative, a tofu and soy milk blend will also make a thick sauce. This is the healthiest option, for plant-based options don't contain cholesterol.  

Picture By Carmy

The healthiest meats to go with this recipe, if you want one, are chicken or fish. They are both lower in saturated fats than your red meats, which, again, will help to prevent weight gain and build up in your bloodstream. Also, fish has a lot of omega-3 fatty acids, which helps to lower blood pressure and, in turn, reduces the stress on your heart. These meats are recommended the most in your diet, and are very yummy in Alfredo!


Picture By The Kitchn



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