Sep
23

10 Ways to Reduce Fat in Your Diet

  1. Choose low-fat or skim milk. One cup of whole milk has 8.5 grams of fat and 150 calories. That’s more than 50% of calories from fat. Compare that to one cup of skim milk with .4 grams of fat and 81 calories. If you’re not quite ready for skim milk, try 2% milk with 5 grams of fat and 125 calories or 1% milk with 2.5 grams of fat and 104 calories.
  2. Dip, don’t drench. Ask for low-fat or fat-free salad dressing to be served on the side so you can lightly dip your salad instead of drenching it. Just 2 Tbsp. of your favorite ranch dressing has approximately 160 calories and 16 grams of fat.2
  3. Use condiments with caution. Just a tablespoon of mayonnaise adds 10 grams of fat to your sandwich and a pat of butter adds 4 grams. Try mustard instead of mayonnaise next time.
  4. Choose low-fat cheese. Whole-milk cheeses like Cheddar, Feta, American, Swiss, and many others contain 6 to 10 grams of fat per ounce. Fortunately, you can find a good variety of low-fat and nonfat cheeses at your supermarket. Look for cheese that has 3 grams of fat or less per ounce.
  5. Lean on low-fat protein. Chicken and seafood are better choices among protein-rich dishes. However, keep in mind that you need to be cautious of fatty fish like eel, salmon, and mackerel. If you like beef, choose loin or round cuts, and trim all the visible fat. For sandwiches, choose chicken or turkey breast, lean roast beef or lean fish packed in water. You can also ask your local deli about their selection of low-fat meats.
  6. Go light on the cooking oils. Instead of oil, fat or butter, try cooking sprays, wine, clear broths, and flavored vinegars when cooking. Since it is hard to fry something without fat and oil, try baking your dishes, barbecuing, steaming or poaching.
  7. Skip the fatty extras. When eating at restaurants, don’t hesitate to ask for items without the high-fat extras like potato chips, french fries, and butter.
  8. Increase fruits and vegetables. Having more fruits and vegetables is a great way to make your snacks low fat. As you decrease the amount of fat in your diet, you’ll appreciate the great natural taste of many fruits and vegetables.
  9. Swap for sauce. When baking muffins and cakes, substitute applesauce for fatty ingredients. For example, try exchanging one part oil, fat, or butter for one part applesauce.
  10. Spice it up. Low-fat eating shouldn’t be dull and boring. Fat can make foods taste better, but it’s not the only way. Using herbs, spices, flavored vinegars, and salsas are great ways to add taste without fat.