Using palm shortening substitute is a great idea if you are an environment lover. It’s because too much usage of the palm already caused some animal to lose their home.
Palm shortening is a semi-solid fat originated from the palm oil. It is quite useful for grilling and frying due to its high smoking point.
Unlike other vegetable shortenings, palm shortening is not hydrogenated and has no harmful trans fat, which makes it a popular ingredient to bake pastries, cake, cookies, etc.
However, if you run out of this amazing ingredient or you just care for the environment, you can use any other solid and semi-solid fats as palm shortening substitutes.
Continue reading to explore what you can use as the alternatives to palm shortening.
4 Great Palm Shortening Substitutes
Here are some of the options that you can use for frying and baking.
1. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is considered as one of the healthiest substitutes for palm shortening. It is rich in antioxidants and MCTS.
Coconut oil contains HDL cholesterols, which are known as good cholesterols. Besides, it can turn the LDL cholesterols (bad cholesterols) into good cholesterols.
A study published in the Nutrition Reviews states that regular consumption of coconut oil can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
If you have lactose intolerance, coconut oil can be a good choice for you. However, using coconut oil add a coconut flavor to the dishes you’re preparing.
2. Butter
Butter is a readily available ingredient in the grocery shops and can be a good palm shortening substitute if you want your dish to be a bit flavorful.
You can easily use butter if you’re baking cakes, bread, or cookies as it will not bring any noticeable difference in the texture compared to palm shortening.
However, if you’re baking a pie crust which you need to be crunchy, butter won’t be a good choice for you.
Butter is commonly used in the same quantity as palm shortening. You can take a half cup of butter and mix 3/8 cup of coconut oil with it.
3. Margarine
Margarine is made of vegetable oil that can be a good non-dairy substitute for palm shortening if you want your dish to have a buttery flavor.
Margarine is a good choice for those who are lactose intolerant. Besides, it is healthier than the butter as it has a lower cholesterol level.
According to a 2007 research, substituting butter with margarine can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
As margarine has less fat than palm shortening, it might cause the pastries to be extremely thin or to burn faster.
While purchasing margarine for cooking, always check the label as they have a lot of flavors.
4. Lard
Lard is basically purified animal fat that you can use for cooking. It can be a great palm shortening substitute if you don’t have any problems consuming animal fat.
You can buy lard from the grocery shop or make your own by purchasing animal fat from a butcher shop. However, commercially produced lard is hydrogenated, meaning that it’s not good for your health.
A study suggests that lard can promote obesity, oxidative stress, and inflammation.
Besides, using lard will bring a meaty flavor in your dish, which is not necessarily a bad thing. But it won’t be a good alternative if you’re baking cakes, bread, or cookies.
Bottom Line
Palm shortening can be a good choice if you want to make your pastries and cookies extra delicious.
Considering where you live, palm shortening may not available in your nearest grocery shop. However, you can still make your recipes delicious even if you don’t have this exotic ingredient.
There are both vegetarian and non-vegetarian alternatives to palm shortening from which you can choose your favorite one.
As excessive using of palm has detrimental impacts on earth, using a substitute can be a good step towards lessening that impact.
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