Learn About Avocado as a Healthier Butter or Fat Substitute

Healthy eating and avocados go hand in hand. Whether it’s calories, fiber, saturated fat or cholesterol, avocados have more of what you want and less of what you don’t want. Naturally cholesterol-, sodium- and trans-fat-free, avocados help reduce the intake of all three when using them as substitutes in sandwiches, on toast or as a spread in place of many other popular foods. When you compare the numbers, they tell a deliciously satisfying story.

Fresh avocado on sandwiches and toast or substituted as a spread in place of many other popular foods may help reduce your dietary intake of calories, fat, saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol.

Health-conscious bakers can substitute avocado for many traditional baking ingredients, such as butter or shortening. Simply replace these ingredients with an equal amount of avocado (e.g., replace one cup of butter with one cup of mashed avocado) in any muffin, quick bread and even some brownie and cookie recipes.

COMPARISON CHARTS AVOCADO SPREAD, DIP AND TOPPING COMPARISONS

Creamy spreads, dips and toppings made from California Avocados add a tasty twist to your meals, and a 50-gram serving of fresh avocados contains zero cholesterol, zero sodium, zero sugar and just one gram of saturated fat. See the chart below for how avocados compare as a substitute on sandwiches, toast and in place of other popular foods.

SPREAD AND DIP NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON FOR FRESH AVOCADOS

• Substituting fresh, healthy avocado in sandwiches, on toast or as a spread in place of many other popular foods may help reduce your intake of calories, fat, saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol
• Looking for a twist on spreads and dips? One serving of fresh, healthy avocado (one-third of a medium avocado) contains no cholesterol, no sodium and 1 g of saturated fat. See the chart below for examples of how fresh avocados are great in sandwiches, on toast or substituted as a spread in place of many other popular foods
• By substituting avocado, you get the healthy benefits of the fruit, and the nutritional value of baked goods may be increased with the fruit’s contribution of nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, along with heart-healthy “good fats” (poly- and monounsaturated fats). Additionally, the overall calories in a recipe can be reduced by substituting avocado for a higher-calorie ingredient like butter.