How to Lower Fat in Your Diet

Identifying Fats

Fat is generally considered bad for us, but there are different types of fats found in our food. If we know our food makeup well, we'll be able to discern which fats are good for us and which ones are bad. Here's a quick guide.

Monounsaturated Fats and Polyunsaturated Fats

The recommended daily percentage of fat in your daily diet and calories should be no more than 35%. Ideally, this 35% should be made up of either monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fat, also known as "good" fats. These are easily absorbed by the body and provide the best nutrition among the rest. They can be found in nuts, vegetable-based oils, soybeans, avocados, salmon, tuna, and mackerel

Saturated Fats and Dietary Cholesterol

Saturated fats and dietary cholesterol can heighten your chances of health problems like heart attacks, obesity, diabetes and even cancer. Try to avoid food that contain these type of fats, which usually are found in animal-based products. Avoid or minimize eating food high in saturated fats and dietary cholesterol such as hamburgers, steaks, lunch meats, poultry fat, poultry skin, whole milk, egg yolks, butter and cheese.

Trans Fats

Found in semi-solid and solid margarine or food labeled hydrogenated. Overall not good for health and should be removed from your diet altogether. Most processed snacks like chips and peanut butter contain trans fats. When in doubt, check the label. Anything hydrogenated should be avoided or discarded altogether.

Trimming the Fat

Lowering fat from your diet is difficult to do, but not impossible. You just need to be more discerning about the food you put in your mouth and how that food was prepared. Here are some steps to keep the fat levels low in your food.

1. Eat food with saturated fat in moderation. If you can't avoid eating beef or meat, choose the leaner cuts of the beef and remove the chicken skin. Drain off the fat from the beef before eating or cut it off altogether if you can.

2. Minimize or remove animal-based products from your diet. This means switching to low-fat skim milk, eating more fish than meat. Avoiding cheese and butter, or at least low their low-fat counterparts. Choose egg whites over egg yolks.

3. Increase eating fresh fruits and vegetables. Lesser fats for more nutrition.

4. Remove frying from your methods of cooking. Grilling, boiling, steaming and poaching are all excellent ways to cook your food with a minimum of fat.

5. Go for herbs and spices to flavor your food instead of going for mayonnaise or cream-based sauces.

6. Choose vegetable oil sprays over fats or lard-based oil.

7. For snacks, eat nuts and olives in moderation as they are both high in fat. Go for fresh fruits or chips that are baked, not fried.

8. Make it a habit to look at the labels. Low calories does not mean the product is low in fat. Avoid products that are labeled "hydrogenated". Remember that "good fat" should make up only 35% of your daily dietary intake.

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