- A mac and cheese recipe has gone viral on TikTok with over 13.2 million likes.
- Fans say this cheesy, carby dish is worth the hype. However, experts note that it has over 1600 calories per serving.
- The dish also contains double the recommended daily fat intake and double the recommended sodium allowance.
- Nutritionists say several healthy hacks can help improve the dish’s nutritional value, including adding vegetables and swapping some of the full-fat ingredients for reduced-fat options.
A mac and cheese recipe shared by TikTok user Tini in November has gone viral, racking up over 13.2 million likes and 4.1 million saves, and many reviewers say it’s worth the hype.
@tinekeyounger Showing yall how to make Mac N cheese for this holiday season🫶🏼
The dish is made with three tablespoons of butter, three different kinds of cheese, heavy cream, and a pound of pasta, so it’s far from healthy.
However, if you’re thinking about serving this dish at a holiday gathering this year but aren’t thrilled about the amount of fat and calories it contains, health experts say there are ways you can make this recipe healthier with a few simple swaps.
Here’s what’s in TikTok’s viral mac and cheese and how you can hack the recipe to improve its nutritional value.
How does TikTok’s viral mac and cheese stack up nutritionally?
Ella Rauen-Prestes, nutritionist and founder of fitbakes, has crunched the numbers and says the recipe’s calorie, fat, and sodium content is alarming.
“One portion has over 1600 calories, which for some people is the full recommended amount of calories you’re supposed to eat in a day,” she says.
“The level of fat is beyond belief,” she adds. “It has 126g, which is double what a person should eat in a day. The saturated fat is almost four times what someone should eat in a whole day.”
Additionally, Rauen-Prestes says the dish’s sodium levels are nearly double the recommended daily allowance.
Colin La Grange, a weight loss and nutrition expert at Medwave, agrees that this recipe is nowhere near healthy.
Nevertheless, he says, the viral TikTok recipe uses real ingredients, like real cream, butter, and flour, rather than processed ingredients.
“When compared to a shop-bought, restaurant, or highly-processed ready meal, this may be a better option. When making a meal, using ‘real’ ingredients is a key part of anti-inflammatory weight loss,” he explains.
In addition, La Grange says cheese can be a good source of protein, offering 25g per 100g of protein.
“Heavy cream does have some nutrients too, including protein, vitamins A and D, and minerals like calcium and phosphorus,” he points out.
On the flip side, La Grange points out that this recipe contains zero vegetables and is high in calories.
“Heavy cream has 340 calories per 100 grams. It also has a much lower protein content than milk,” he notes.
This means a serving of this mac and cheese dish is unlikely to be satiating.
How to reduce calories, fat, and sodium content in Tini’s mac and cheese
If you still want to enjoy this tasty mac and cheese recipe, there are several healthy ways you can reduce the calorie, fat, and sodium content you’ll consume with a serving.
Rauen-Prestes suggests eating a portion of vegetables before eating your mac and cheese.
“The fiber and protein in the vegetables will help your body deal with the fat and refined carbs of the mac and cheese in a much better way,” she explains. “The fiber will also make you feel fuller, so you might eat a smaller portion of the Mac and Cheese.”
In a similar vein, La Grange recommends swapping half your pasta for lightly boiled cauliflower. This will reduce the calorie content, add fiber, and aid satiety.
Zucchini is another option. Rauen-Prestes recommends shredding one and adding it to your dish.
“[Zucchinis] don’t taste like anything if added to pasta and cheese, and they will dilute the calories, the fat, and the carbs and improve the fiber level,” she explains. “This is beneficial for our heart, gut health, and glucose levels, reducing future diabetes risk.”
Additional healthier swaps you can make
Another way to cut the calories and fat in this dish is to swap out the full-fat dairy ingredients for reduced-fat dairy options.
La Grange recommends swapping out the cream for skimmed milk in the sauce to cut calories significantly.
“Whole milk has 82% less calories than heavy cream, and it’s also significantly higher in protein,” he explains. This means you can feel fuller for longer while consuming less calories.
“You can use a lower-fat cheese for the sauce, too,” La Grange adds.
Butter is another ingredient that ramps up this dish’s calorie and fat content.
“Change the butter for olive oil,” Rauen-Prestes suggests. “It will significantly reduce the saturated fats, which is so damaging for our heart health.”
What about the sodium content? Rauen-Prestes says it’s a good idea to taste the recipe before adding salt; you might discover that it doesn’t need any extra seasoning.
“If you don’t add salt, or add less than what the recipe says, the level of sodium will be significantly reduced, and your blood pressure will thank you,” she notes.
And if you don’t want to make any significant changes to the recipe? You can create a smaller portion and serve it with a side salad and some protein, La Grange recommends.
Takeaway
A mac and cheese recipe has gone viral on TikTok with over 13.2 million likes, with many people saying they plan to serve it at holiday gatherings.
However, health experts warn that the recipe is very high in fat, sodium, and calories.
Nutritionists say a number of healthy hacks can help improve the dish’s nutritional value, including adding vegetables and swapping some of the full-fat ingredients for reduced-fat options.
