Puff pastry: how unhealthy is it really?
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You probably already knew that puff pastry is not the most responsible ingredient in your kitchen. Yet many people still use it regularly. After all, it is such a nice and easy basis for sweet and savory dishes - from quiche to apple turnovers.
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But how unhealthy is puff pastry really? And what do you do if you want to eat healthy, but still feel like a recipe where you would normally use puff pastry? We list all the information and tips in this blog!
Nutritional value of puff pastry
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Most people think of puff pastry as a kind of white bread: especially a lot of carbohydrates. However, if you're making puff pastry, a lot of butter is involved. It is put in very thin layers between the layers of dough. As a result, the final product contains not only a lot of carbohydrates, but also a lot of fats!
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11 minMain dishpeanut oil, tofu stir-fry cubes finely seasoned, stir fry sauce sweet and sour, thick noodles, carrot julienne, beetroot julienne, yellow bell pepper, watercress,rainbow salad with tofu -
45 minMain dishRed cabbage, mild olive oil, quinoa plus, forest outing, lemon, sesame oil, soy sauce less salt, Bio Today tahini white in pot, tap water,grilled red cabbage with quinoa salad -
30 minDessertBrie, Roquefort, port salut, gruyere, Camembert, walnut, garlic, thyme, honey, grape, baguette, Red onion, red grape, raisins, Red wine, Red wine vinegar, Brown sugar,generous cheese plate with onion marmalade -
30 minDessertFull Milk, whipped cream, macaroon, custard powder, vanilla sugar, sugar, protein, amaretto, almond liqueur, basic recipe cooking pears,macaroon pastry with casserole
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Each slice of puff pastry contains about 170 calories. More than half of this comes from fat: it contains almost 11 grams (4.6 grams of which is saturated fat). We also have 16 grams of carbohydrates and 2.5 grams of proteins.
Trans fats in puff pastry
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In principle, fat is not necessarily unhealthy. However, the relatively large amount of saturated fats is annoying, because you don't want to get too much of it. Even more problematic is that a lot of puff pastry also contains a relatively high amount of trans fats.
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Trans fats are an artificially hardened form of fat that is commonly added to processed foods. It makes food more durable and gives a lot of flavor. The disadvantage is that it also increases your cholesterol, is bad for the heart and blood vessels, and increases the risk of all kinds of conditions. So that's an extra reason to be careful with puff pastry.
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5 minDrink without alcoholbananas, cool fresh apple-pear raspberry juice, Soy drink vanilla,soy fruit shake -
20 minMain dishsauerkraut, sticking potato, liquid baking product, half-to-half minced, Spice meatballs, pineapple, olive oil, liquid baking product,gratin sauerkraut dish with minced meat -
40 minMain dishlemongrass, fresh ginger, Red peppers, onions, tomato cubes, fresh cod fillet, coriander, oil, ground turmeric (koenjit), coconut milk, salt,fish in creamy coconut sauce -
15 minSide dishsweet potato, soft goat cheese, egg, spring / forest onion,stuffed sweet potato with egg
Puff pastry unhealthy
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Finally, there is the point that puff pastry does not really have healthy properties. Due to all the processing, it hardly contains any vitamins and minerals. In addition, it is made from white flour and thus contains only half a gram of fiber per slice.
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All in all, the whole product adds nothing to your health, and does create the necessary problems. The only conclusion we can draw is that puff pastry is pretty unhealthy. Of course, a treat every now and then can't hurt. But don't use it in your evening meals every week with the idea of putting something nutritious on the table!
Alternatives to puff pastry
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What if you are used to making puff pastry dishes on a regular basis? Fortunately, there are plenty of alternatives. We will briefly mention the four most important below!
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20 minMain dishTasty vine tomato, (olive oil, fresh basil, onion, garlic, Parmigiano Reggiano, zucchini spaghetti, pumpkin spaghetti, mini buffalo mozzarella,lukewarm pumpkin and zucchini spaghetti -
15 minSide dishtraditional olive oil, curry powder, wheat flour, coconut milk, sambal oelek, chicken broth tablet, water, fresh mango,curry sauce with mango -
30 minMain dishtraditional olive oil, lean ground beef, frozen Mexican wok vegetables, salsa sauce mild, taco shell, grated young cheese, creme fraiche,Mexican vegetable in tacos -
95 minMain dishmaize chicken, lemon, coarse sea salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, thyme, zucchini, tomatoes (small to), black olives without pit,provençal chicken with zucchini and tomatoes
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Almost everything that you make with puff pastry can also be made with phyllo dough. And that makes a big difference in nutritional value: fewer calories, more protein, and especially a lot less fat. However, you should be careful, because in some recipes you use filo dough in layers with butter in between. That of course adds a lot of fat and calories. However, if you don't, it's an excellent substitute.
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Making your own pastry dough is not at all as complicated as you might think. For example, a very simple recipe uses cottage cheese as a base. Mix 250 grams of cottage cheese with 3 tbsp olive oil, 250 grams of wholemeal flour and 1 tsp salt. Knead well, roll out with a rolling pin and cover a cake tin with it. You can then fill the bottom with all your favorite fillings.
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Don't feel like making an effort? You can also make a quiche base with stale bread! Simply cut the crusts off the sandwiches and cover the bottom. Not only will you be ready quickly, you will also have the ideal way to get rid of all your leftovers.
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Sometimes you can also use (whole wheat!) Wraps to replace puff pastry. This is especially true for savory recipes. Consider, for example, the bottom of mini pizzas - excellent wraps can also be used for that. It is also best to use wraps for slimmer apple turnovers, for example. Fifteen minutes in the hot oven and you're done!