What is a low fat diet?
For a regular health diet, it is recommended that of the total calories eaten, no more than 30% should come from fat.
What are the conditions that are improved by a low fat diet?
Gallbladder diseases (either before or after the gallbladder is removed); delayed stomach emptying (gastroparesis) a conditioning which the stomach empties food into the intestine too slowly; diarrhea often aggravated by eating fatty food; malabsorption of nutrients with diseases of the pancreas and small intestine; and fatty liver.
What are the overall ways to start?
Be careful how foods are prepared. Trim all visible fat from meats. Bake, steam or broil meats and fish instead of frying. Toppings for potatoes and pastas should contain no fat above the three allowed daily servings. This low-fat diet should be used until the underlying medical condition is controlled or corrected.
What specific food groups are recommended?
Group | Recommend | Avoid |
Milk & milk products | Skim milk; nonfat sour cream; yogurt made with skim milk (3gms fat or less/oz, maximum of 3oz/day); fat-free cheeses; low-fat cottage cheese; part skim mozzarella cheese or skim ricotta cheese | Whole milk; cream; sour cream; non-diary creamer; whole milk cheese; cheese spreads |
Breads & grains | Whole grain and enriched breads; cold cereal; whole grain cereal (except granola); saltines; soda crackers; low-fat snack crackers; rice cakes; unbuttered popcorn; low-fat muffins; pasta; barley; oatmeal; home-made pancakes without fat; French toast made with egg substitute and skim milk | Breads containing egg, cheese or made with fat; biscuits; sweet rolls; doughnuts; waffles; fritters; muffins; granola-type cereals; snack crackers; potato chips; packaged stuffing; fried rice; chow mien noodles |
Vegetables | All vegetables (steamed, raw, boiled or baked without added fat) | Fried vegetables or those in cream, cheese, butter sauces; dips |
Fruits | All other fruits | Avocado |
Meat & meat substitutes | Poultry (without skin); veal; lean beef trimmed of fat; lean pork (tenderloin, chops, cutlet); fish (fresh, frozen, canned in water); eggs (boiled, scrambled without added fat); luncheon meat at least 95% fat free | Any fried, fatty, or heavily marbled meat; fish or poultry; spareribs; ham hocks; fish canned in oil; eggs (fried in butter, oil, or margarine); luncheon meat less than 95% fat free |
Beverage | Coffee; tea; cocoa made with skim milk; fruit juices; soft drinks; water | Beverages made with high fat dairy products |
Soup | Fat-free broths; bouillon; soups made with fat-free broth; skim milk; evaporated skim milk | Cream soups; soups with added oils or meat fats; soups made from stocks containing meat fat |
Fats & dressings | Olive oil 1 tsp; vinegar 1tsp; mustard 1 tsp; margarine 1 tsp; diet margarine 2 tsp; diet salad dressing 2 tbsp; vegetable oils 1 tsp | Any fat in excess; Crisco; commercial salad dressing |
Nuts | Almonds 6; peanuts 20 small or 10 large; whole walnuts 2; whole pistachios 18; sesames seeds 1 Tbsp; sunflower seeds 1 Tbsp | Macadamia |
Sweets & desserts | Sherbert made with skim milk; non-fat frozen yogurt; fruit ice; gelatin; Angle-food cake; vanilla wafers; ginger snaps; graham crackers; meringues; pudding made with skim milk; tapioca; fat-free cakes and cookies; Jell-O; hard candy; jelly beans; jelly; jams; maple syrup | Ice cream; pastries; cakes; cookies; pies; doughnuts; pudding made with whole milk; cream puffs; turnovers; chocolate |
