Shortening Replacement

There are so many conflicting opinions on what you should eat that it is difficult to make sense of it all. After all of the information I have read on nutrition, I have determined to do what feels right to me. That may be different than what is best for you, but it helps me to feel so much more at ease. I am tired of feeling guilty about how I am feeding my family. What makes the most sense to me, is to eat less processed, more whole foods.

I have a problem, though. I love to bake. In the past, I have used a ton of butter-flavored shortening. Well, after realizing how bad it is for you, I spent several years using butter as a replacement. Unfortunately, there are many baked goods that just don't turn out as nicely when I use butter instead of shortening. 

Enter Palm Shortening

I first heard about palm shortening from Facebook. Someone on the same local, natural living group posted that she had just gotten a great deal on it through Tropical Traditions. I buy my coconut oil through them, so I was intrigued. Later, I read about palm oil on The Healthy Home Economist. In the comments, someone mentioned palm shortening. So, I decided to try it.

It is great! It has the benefits of palm oil and none of the garbage of shortening. It isn't flavored and is a little bit lighter and fluffier than vegetable shortening. I am very happy to have found this for my family.

I use the palm shortening in a lot of recipes - baked goods mainly. It is also great for frying, but I tend to use coconut oil for that. Now, most of the baked goods I make are not entirely healthy. I feel better, though, knowing that I am moving over to healthier ingredients.

Have you changed any of the products that you use for your family?