Low-Fat Dessert Recipes to Beat High Cholesterol

The festive season is that time of the year when all you want to do is cosy up in the warmth of your home and sink your teeth into rich, decadent foods, especially those tempting desserts. However, unhealthy eating habits during the festive season may not only lead to piling on a few additional kilos, but could also raise your cholesterol levels.

Although exercise may help in shedding those few extra kilos, it may not necessarily remove the plaque build-up in your arteries from all the cholesterol-laden foods you have eaten.¹

To avoid clogging your arteries with cholesterol, you can satisfy your cravings for sinful desserts with these simple low-cholesterol sweet treats and stop worrying about your heart health.

Rice pudding

Servings – 5

Each half-cup serving has just 3 mg of cholesterol.

Ingredients:

• Rice – 1 cup
• Milk, skimmed – 3 cups
• Water – 6 cups
• Cinnamon sticks – 2
• Sugar – 2/3 teaspoon
• Salt – ½ teaspoon

How to prepare:

1. In a saucepan, add water and cinnamon sticks and bring it to a boil.
2. Add the rice and cook for 30 minutes on a low flame until the water has evaporated and the rice becomes soft.
3. Add sugar, salt and skimmed milk, and cook for 15 more minutes until the mixture becomes thick.
4. Remove from heat. Cool it in the refrigerator until it becomes firm.²

Winter crisp

Servings – 6

Each 1¾ to 2-inch piece serving has zero cholesterol and low sodium.

Ingredients

1. For the filling:

• Flour, all-purpose – 3 tablespoon
• Apples, unpeeled and sliced – 5 cups
• Sugar – ½ cup
• Lemon peel, grated – 1 teaspoon
• Cranberries – 1 cup
• Lemon juice- ¾ teaspoon

1. For the topping:

• Brown sugar, packed – 1/3 cup
• Rolled oats – 2/3 cup
• Cinnamon powder – 2 teaspoons
• Whole wheat flour – ¼ cup
• Soft margarine, melted – 1 tablespoon

How to prepare:

1. For the filling:

• Mix the sugar, lemon peel and flour in a medium-sized bowl.
• To this mix, add apples, cranberries, and lemon juice. Mix well.
• Place this mixture in a 6-cup baking dish.

1. For the topping:

• Add brown sugar, cinnamon, flour and oats to a bowl and stir well.
• To this, add melted margarine and mix well.
• Sprinkle the topping on the filling.

1. Bake it in the oven at 375ºF for 40 to 50 minutes or until the top becomes brown and the filling is bubbly. Serve warm or let it cool to room temperature before serving.³

Rainbow fruit salad

Servings – 12

Each 4-oz cup has zero cholesterol, and has low fat and sodium.

Ingredients

1. For the fruit salad:

• Strawberries, halved – 2 cups
• Blueberries, fresh – 2 cups
• Banana, sliced – 2
• Kiwi, peeled and sliced – 1 fruit
• Nectarines, unpeeled and sliced – 2
• Grapes, seedless – 2 cups

2. For the honey orange sauce:

• Honey – 1½ tablespoon
• Orange juice, unsweetened – 1/3 cup
• Ginger, ground – ¼ teaspoon
• Lemon juice – 2 tablespoons
• Nutmeg – a pinch

How to prepare:

1. Prepare the fruits and mix them.
2. Mix the ingredients for the sauce.
3. Pour the sauce on the fruit salad and serve.⁴

Cantaloupe crush 

Servings – 4

Each ½ cup serving has zero cholesterol.

Ingredients:

• Cantaloupe – ½
• Milk, skimmed – 1 cup
• Sugar – 1 to 2 teaspoons (or any other sweetener in an equivalent amount)
• Ice – 1.5 cups

How to prepare:

1. Cut the cantaloupe into small pieces.
2. Blend the milk, ice and cantaloupe in the blender until smooth.
3. Add sugar according to taste and serve.⁵

Apple coffee cake 

Servings – 20

Each serving of 3.5 x 2.5 inches has 11 mg cholesterol.

Ingredients:

• Dark raisins – 1 cup
• Apples, peeled, cored and cut – 5 cups
• Pecans, chopped – ½ cup
• All-purpose flour, sifted – 2.5 cups
• Vegetable oil – ¼ cup
• Cinnamon – 2 teaspoon
• Egg, beaten – 1
• Sugar – 1 cup
• Vanilla essence – 2 teaspoon
• Baking soda – 1.5 teaspoon

How to prepare

1. Mix the apples, pecans, raisins and sugar into a large mixing bowl and keep it aside for half an hour.
2. Grease a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan lightly with oil and preheat the oven to 350°F.
3. To the mix, add vanilla, egg, and oil and stir well.
4. Sift the cinnamon, baking soda and flour together and slowly stir it into the apple mixture, adding 1/3 at a time to moisten the dry ingredients.
5. Transfer the batter into the pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. To check if it is thoroughly cooked, insert a toothpick in the centre of the cake and check if it comes out clean.
6. Let it cool a little and serve.⁶

Prepare these amazing desserts and enjoy the festive season without worrying too much about your cholesterol.

References:

1. Rush University Medical Center. 6 Facts About Cholesterol [internet]. [cited 2019 Nov 19]. Available from: https://www.rush.edu/health-wellness/discover-health/6-facts-about-cholesterol.
2. Alabama Department of Public Health. Healthy home cooking recipes for a healthy lifestyle [Internet]. [cited 2019 Nov 19]. Available from: https://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/npa/assets/cookbook.pdf.
3. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Winter crisp [Internet]. [cited 2019 Nov 20]. Available from: https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/healthieryou/html/desserts.html#10.
4. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Rainbow fruit salad [Internet]. [cited 2019 Nov 20]. Available from: https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/healthieryou/html/desserts.html#2.
5. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Cantaloupe crush [Internet]. [cited 2019 Nov 20]. Available from: https://healthyeating.nhlbi.nih.gov/recipedetail.aspx?linkId=18&cId=12&rId=264.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Apple Coffee Cake. [Internet]. [cited 2019 Nov 20]. Available from: https://healthyeating.nhlbi.nih.gov/recipedetail.aspx?linkId=13&cId=12&rId=201

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