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How to reduce fat in your diet
50 great tips to lower your fat intake and lose weight. A commonly accepted assumption about the relationship between a person's diet and their level of health and wellness is the need to keep the amount of dietary fat within acceptable limits. While it is important to note that a healthy body needs dietary fat, the key is to ensure that an individual ingests the right amount -- not too much and not too little. Too much dietary fat leads to increased risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes and some forms of cancer. Excessive fat in a diet can result in gaining a substantial number of unwanted (and unneeded) pounds. Because dietary fat is, literally, the most "fattening" nutrient that a person can eat (a gram of fat has 9 calories, while a similar amount of carbohydrates and protein has only 4 calories), it is hardly surprising that controlling the intake of fat calories is one of the most effective and logical steps people can take to keep body weight within a desired range. On the other hand, consuming too little dietary fat can also have significant health consequences, including the following: * Individuals who do not consume enough dietary fat may be unable to absorb and use fat-soluble vitamins. These vitamins help perform several indispensable bodily functions -- they protect vision, bolster the immune system and enable the reproductive organs to operate properly. * A diet lacking in fat deprives the body of an essential component of hormones and other bio-chemicals, like vitamin D and bile. * A fat-deficient diet can negatively affect a child's growth. * Dietary fat is a fundamental component of the material (myelin) that sheaves nerve cells. Too little fat can negatively affect the ability of these cells to fire off electrical messages that allow a person to perform sensory tasks which are crucial for a living being. * An insufficient amount of fat in the diet can depose the body of a major source of energy. * Restricting the amount of fat consumed reduces the feeling of satiety after eating. Because an increasing body of scientific evidence indicates that Americans are overweight, it is obvious that the vast majority of people eat too much fat, not too little. Most people should focus on how to reduce the amount of fat in their diets. Fifty nifty suggestions follow: |
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1 Avoid ordering items in
restaurants that are fried, crispy, buttery, creamed, breaded,
sautéed, au gratin, Hollandaise, scalloped or cooked in their
own gravies. 2 Cut the amount of shortening (margarine, butter, oil, etc.) and sugar used in recipes. Such items can often be reduced in fat by as much as one-third, without substantially affecting quality or taste. 3 Lower the amount of fat in your cooking by using unsaturated fats, rather than saturated fats. Unsaturated fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) are found primarily in vegetable oils, such as peanut, olive, canola, sunflower and corn. Although saturated and unsaturated fats have the same number of calories, unsaturated fats reduce cholesterol levels in some people. 4 Avoid cream sauces, butter and cheese when eating pasta. Generally, order red or marinara sauces rather than a cream sauce like Alfredo. For example, a 11/4-cup serving of fettuccine Alfredo has 49 grams of fat, while a similar serving of spaghetti with tomato sauce has only 8.5 grams of fat. 5 Buy leaner cuts of meat. Lean meat shrinks less in cooking because it has less fat, so a person eats more for less cost. The leanest cuts of beef are round and sirloin; of pork, tenderloin and loin; of lamb, fore-shank and shank half; and of veal, most cuts except rib. "Select" grade beef is leaner than the more common "choice," which is leaner than "prime." 6 When ordering a taco salad, request a soft tortilla bowl rather than a fried one. This saves up to 400 calories and 20 grams of fat. If you make taco salads at home, buy fat-free tortillas. 7 Try sourdough, French bread, a bagel, whole wheat English muffins and pita bread to cut the amount of fat in your bread choices. In addition to being low-fat, fiber, vitamins and iron can be added to a diet with whole wheat and stone ground flour breads. A variety of breads are available that are low in fat and fat-free. 8 Decrease the fat content (with minimal effect on taste) in packaged rice and pasta mixes by eliminating the oil, margarine or butter called for in the cooking instructions. 9 Purchase crackers and cookies in a reduced-fat or fat-free version. This can save 2 to 3 grams of fat per serving. Some snacks (pretzels, rice cakes, bread sticks, crackers) and cookies (vanilla wafers, graham crackers, gingersnaps, animal crackers) have always been low in fat. 10 Eat dried fruit such as raisins, prunes, apricots and dates as a healthy, fat-free snack. Just keep the serving small (one-half cup) because of the caloric content of these fruits. Dried bananas are usually dried in coconut oil which is high in saturated fat. |
11 When buying chicken and turkey parts, select white meat.
White chicken and turkey, such as the breast and wing, have an average of 5
grams less fat per 3-ounce serving than dark meat, like the thigh and
drumstick. Save another 5 grams of fat per 5-ounce serving by removing the
skin.
12 Choose white meat fish, like cod, flounder and sole. This type has less
fat than dark meat fish, such as salmon, bluefin tuna and especially
mackerel.
13 When buying hot dogs, restrict your purchases to one of several varieties
of lower-fat or fat-free options. Read labels carefully, since some franks
contain less fat only because they are smaller. As a rule, lower-fat franks
contain less than 4 grams of fat each, compared with regular hot dogs that
each contain 11 to 13 grams.
14 Look for reduced-fat versions of peanut butter. These contain about 12
grams of fat per 2-tablespoon serving, compared with 17 grams per
2-tablespoon serving in regular varieties. The calorie content per teaspoon
of peanut butter should be checked, because it may vary depending on the
brand. Also, choose natural peanut butter and pour off the oil on top.
15 Choose low-fat or fat-free milk. Fat-free milk contains the least amount
of fat, 1 percent milk has 2.6 grams of fat, buttermilk has 2 to 3 grams, 2
percent milk has 4.7 grams and whole milk has 8.9 grams of fat in a 1-cup
serving.
16 Buy nonfat or low-fat yogurt. Whole milk yogurt contains 6 to 8 grams of
fat per 8-ounce serving, while the fat content in nonfat and low-fat yogurt
ranges from 0 to 4 grams of fat per serving.
17 Hard cheeses such as Parmesan and Romano in grated form are low in fat (1
tablespoon contains less than 2 grams of fat). They can be used as a
substitute for shredded, full-fat cheeses such as cheddar, Gouda or Monterey
Jack, which contain 8 to 10 grams of fat per l-ounce serving.
18 Use fruit butters such as apple, peach or pumpkin as spreads on breads,
bagels and crackers, instead of higher fat butter and margarine. Fruit
butters are usually fat-free.
19 Use margarine made from unsaturated fats instead of butter. While butter
and margarine contain about the same amount of fat per tablespoon (11 to 12
grams), butter products also contain cholesterol since they are made from
animal products. Margarine is made from plant oils. Use margarine made with
unsaturated fats. Ideally, choose a soft tub margarine with no trans-fatty
acids.
20 Although all oils have a similar amount of fat (13 to 14 grams per
tablespoon), use stronger flavored oils such as extra virgin olive, hot
chili and sesame to make salad dressings and in recipes. As a result, the
total amount of dietary fat may be reduced because less oil is needed for
flavoring.
21 Reduce the amount of mayonnaise or salad dressing used for sandwiches and
salads by adding low-fat spreads such as ketchup, mustard, salsas and pickle
relish. Using low-fat or fat-free mayonnaise is also a viable option.
22 Save up to 18 grams of fat per cup in tuna salad by changing both the
type of tuna and the brand of mayonnaise. Instead of using oil-packed tuna
and regular mayonnaise, use water-packed tuna and low-fat or fat-free
mayonnaise. Also, extend the amount of tuna salad by adding pickle relish
and/or chopped vegetables to the salad.
23 When making a salad, dry the salad greens completely with a salad spinner
or paper towels after washing them. Less salad dressing will be used,
because the dressing will adhere to the leafy greens, rather than sliding to
the bottom of the salad bowl. Also, reduce the amount of oil in the dressing
by substituting water, vinegar or lemon juice.
24 Leave the skin on poultry while cooking to keep the meat moist, but
remove it before eating to save up to 5 grams of fat per 3-ounce portion.
Also reduce calories by substituting cranberry sauce for gravy, or by
choosing a low-fat or fat-free gravy.
25 Use jam, jelly or fresh fruit rather than butter and syrup on pancakes,
waffles and French toast.
26 To prepare a meatloaf that is lower in fat, substitute ground turkey meat
for ground beef, egg whites for whole eggs, and add barbecue sauce or
ketchup for seasoning and taste.
27 Reduce the amount of fat on a baked potato by using nonfat yogurt, nonfat
sour cream or nonfat cottage cheese instead of regular sour cream (2.5 grams
of fat per tablespoon) or butter (12 grams of fat per tablespoon). Another
way to reduce both fat and total calories is to only eat half of the baked
potato served in a restaurant since these potatoes are sometimes large.
28 Reduce the amount of fat in a pizza by ordering a thin-crust pizza topped
with fresh vegetables and reduced-fat cheese. Two slices of Pizza Hut Cheese
Pan Pizza has 24 grams of fat, while two slices of Pizza Hut Thin 'n Crispy
Cheese Pizza has only 13 gams of fat. Some restaurants even make cheese-less
pizza.
29 At fast food restaurants, order simple burgers, rather than anything that
is designated as double, jumbo or super. Also, drink low-fat or nonfat milk
instead of a milk shake, and order a salad with dressing on the side instead
of french fries. In addition, chicken and fish sandwiches that are grilled,
charbroiled or roasted are reduced-fat alternatives to fried or breaded menu
items. For example, a Burger King chicken sandwich has 40 grams of fat,
while a Wendy's grilled chicken sandwich has only 13 grams of fat. Order it
with no sauce and use honey mustard or barbecue sauce instead.
30 Carefully select the type of fats that you eat. The best fats are canola,
sunflower, safflower, corn, soy, olive and fish oils. Acceptable fats are
peanut oil and fat from poultry and nuts. The worst fats are coconut and
hydrogenated oils, lard, bacon, beef, lamb, pork drippings and shortening.
31 Choose processed foods with no more than 3 grams of fat for every 100
calories.
32 Select fat-free and low-fat candies. While substantially lower in fat,
these candies are not calorie-free. Fat-free candies include most hard
candies and jelly beans, marshmallows, licorice and gummy candies. If you
must have chocolate, try eating 10 to 12 chocolate-covered raisins or mints.
The more preferable option has only 1.5 to 3 grams of fat. (An average-sized
chocolate candy bar has 9 grams of fat.)
33 Try freshly baked breads and rolls. These items have more flavor and
generally do not require butter or margarine to taste good.
34 Substitute low-fat foods for food that you usually eat. For breakfast,
try a bagel (2 grams of fat) instead of a doughnut (12 grams of fat). At
lunch, eat two slices of turkey breast (2 grams of fat) instead of two
slices of bologna (16 grams of fat). For dinner, try a lean pork chop (8
grams of fat) instead of a fried hamburger (21 grams of fat in 4 ounces).
And, for a snack, eat a cup of nonfat frozen yogurt instead of a cup of
vanilla ice cream (14 grams of fat).
35 If you usually drink your coffee with half-and-half or cream, use
evaporated or powdered skim milk to save 2 to 3 grams of fat per tablespoon.
36 When eating pie, save several grams of fat by eating fruit pie, such as
apple or berry, rather than a cream pie, such as chocolate or coconut. When
baking, additional fat grams can be saved by using a graham cracker crust
and a single rather than double crust.
37 Order lean meats such as turkey or ham on a sub sandwich, and specify no
cheese and extra lettuce, tomato, onion and green peppers. Forgo using oil
or mayonnaise.
38 Instead of a mayonnaise-based salad such as potato or coleslaw, make
pasta salad with fresh vegetables and a fat-free dressing.
39 If you like to drink chocolate milk, make a lower-fat version by either
combining skim milk and instant chocolate powder mix or buying regular
chocolate milk and mixing it with skim milk (half of each). You can also
purchase low- or reduced-fat chocolate milk that can be further diluted.
40 Cut the fat in, and add nutritional value to, frozen vegetables with
cheese-flavored sauce by adding a cup of fresh vegetables to the package.
Such packages usually have plenty of sauce to accommodate the additional
vegetables.
41 When dining out, select the salad bar as a healthy option. If you go the
salad bar route, eat plenty of lettuce, fresh vegetables and fruits. Use
salad dressings sparingly. Try putting a small amount of low-fat dressing in
a small dish, and add what you need as you eat your meal. Avoid higher fat
items such as croutons, bacon bits, olives, nuts, seeds, creamy dressings
and high-fat cheeses. Also, avoid high-fat mayonnaise-based salads such as
potato, macaroni, tuna, egg and chicken.
42 When ordering Chinese food, avoid deep fried noodles, fried rice,
dumplings, egg rolls and won tons. Choose foods that have been boiled,
steamed and some stir-fried items. A cup of fried rice has 320 calories and
13 grams of fat; a cup of steamed rice has 170 calories and 0 grams of fat;
a 9-ounce serving of sweet and sour pork has 475 calories and 25 grams of
fat. A healthier alternative is a 9-ounce serving of stir-fried vegetables,
which has 125 calories and 8.5 grams of fat.
43 Save up to 90 grams of fat per cup by substituting evaporated skim milk
in dessert recipes that normally use cream.
44 Instead of eating ice cream (at least 15 grams of fat), eat fat-free or
low-fat yogurt or ice cream (0 to 6 grams of fat per cup), sherbet or sorbet
(typically less than 4 grams of fat) or Italian ices (no fat grams).
45 Consider low-fat or nonfat dessert alternatives such as flavored gelatin,
rice pudding, tapioca (made with evaporated skim milk and egg whites or egg
substitutes), gingersnaps, vanilla wafers or frozen fruit bars.
46 If you drink an after-dinner liqueur, select one that is not cream-based.
Such liqueurs frequently contain as much as 5 grams of fat per ounce.
47 Consider reduced-fat or nonfat snacks such as low-fat potato chips
(almost 3 grams of fat per ounce less than regular potato chips), pretzels
(typically contain 1 gram of fat or less per ounce), salsa or fat-free bean
dip (contain as much as 5 grams of fat per ounce less than guacamole) and
rice cakes (no fat).
48 Eat chopped raw vegetables for a low-fat nutritious snack. Use a low-fat
or nonfat ranch salad dressing or plain nonfat yogurt as a dip.
49 Eat air-popped (instead of oil-popped) popcorn and save approximately 8
grams of fat per 3-cup serving.
50 Order coffee drinks with skim milk instead of whole milk, and save about
8 grams of fat.
Watching what we eat
According to a recent survey by Parade magazine, Americans are eating
lighter. Of those surveyed, 90 percent are concerned about saturated fat in
their diets, and most (85 percent of women, 77 percent of men) are
attempting to cut down on their intake of dietary fat. Low-fat versions of
foods are used by 67 percent, while no-fat alternatives are used by 41
percent of people surveyed.
Since statistics show that as much as 24 percent of American men and 27
percent of American women weigh at least 20 percent or more than they
should, much remains to be done to encourage individuals to consume less fat
and fewer calories. The challenge of eating less fat lies in learning the
steps to take to keep fat intake below the recommended 30 percent or less of
the total calories consumed. The 50 ways presented in this article are an
appropriate starting point.
REFERENCES
American Dietetic Association. Cut the Fat. New York, N.Y.: Harper Collins
Publishers, 1996.
Brody, M. The New York Times Book of Health. New York, N.Y.: Random House,
1997.
Feltman, J. (ed.) Prevention's Giant Book of Health Facts. Emmaus, Pa.:
Rodale Press, 1991.
Peterson, J.A., & C.X. Bryant (eds.). The StairMaster Fitness Handbook, 2nd
ed. Champaign, Ill.: Sagamore Publishing Co., 1995.
Rinzler, C.A. Nutrition for Dummies. Foster City, Calif.: IDG Books
Worldwide, 1997.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors thank Kelly Farnen, R.D., for her critical review of this
manuscript and helpful suggestions for revision.
James Peterson, Ph.D., FACSM, is a sports medicine consultant, fellow of the
American College of Sports Medicine, a former faculty member at the United
States Military Academy and a former director of sports medicine for
StairMaster Sports/Medical Products Inc.
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