In honor of American Heart Month, try these smart substitutions recommended by the American Heart Association, for a healthier heart for the entire family.

When cooking your favorite recipes, you can use these lower-fat ingredients, which can help cut down on saturated fats and cholesterol, without having to substitute the taste:

Instead of butter (1 tablespoon) —   Use 1 tablespoon soft margarine (low in saturated fat and 0 grams trans fat) or 3/4 tablespoon liquid vegetable oil

Instead of whole milk (1 cup) —   Use 1 cup fat-free or low-fat milk, plus one tablespoon of liquid vegetable oil

Instead of heavy cream (1 cup) —   Use 1 cup evaporated skim milk or 1/2 cup low-fat yogurt and 1/2 cup plain low-fat unsalted cottage cheese

Instead of sour cream —   Use low-fat unsalted cottage cheese plus low-fat or fat-free yogurt; or just use fat-free sour cream

Instead of cream cheese —   Use 4 tablespoons soft margarine (low in saturated fat and 0 grams trans fat) blended with 1 cup dry, unsalted low-fat cottage cheese; add a small amount of fat-free milk if needed

Instead of Egg (1) —   Use 2 egg whites; or choose a commercially made, cholesterol-free egg substitute (1/4 cup)

Snack healthier, too, with these yummy substitutions:

Instead of regular potato or corn chips —   Enjoy pretzels or low-fat potato chips (reduced sodium version)

Instead of ice cream bars —   Enjoy frozen fruit bars

Instead of a doughnut —   Enjoy a bagel or toast

Instead of high-fat cookies and crackers —   Enjoy fat-free or low-fat cookies, crackers (such as graham crackers, rice cakes, fig and other fruit bars, ginger snaps and  molasses cookies)

The CHOC Children’s Heart Institute brings hope to children with heart disease and their families, providing state of the art diagnosis and treatment for an entire spectrum of cardiac conditions in newborns to adolescents. For more information on programs and services at CHOC Children’s Heart Institute, please visit: http://www.choc.org/heart/index.cfm