Tips for Eating Less Fat

Information provided by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County, N.Y. (716)461-1000

Cornell Cooperative Extension provides equal program and employment opportunities.

It's been recommended that Americans reduce their intake of dietary fat to no more than 30% of total calories, their saturated fat intake to less than 10%, and their dietary cholesterol to less than 300 mg per day. The motivation for making these changes is strong -- evidence suggests than they can reduce one's risk for cardiovascular disease, some types of cancer, and obesity -- but the flavor these substances bring to food can make changes hard to make.

Here are some easy ways to make some healthful changes in one's diet:

1. Choose leaner cuts of meat and trim any visible fat

2. remove skin from poultry such as chicken, turkey, and game birds

3. eat more fish and seafood, but remember than some shellfish can be high in cholesterol

4. instead of frying, try baking, roasting, grilling, steaming, poaching, or stir-frying

5. substitute mustard for mayonnaise on sandwiches

6. experiment with spices and herbs instead of fatty dressings, cheese or butter sauces.

7. substitute all or part of the shortening in a baked good recipe with an equal proportion of applesauce

8. make soups, stews, and casseroles a day ahead and refrigerate overnight, skim off the hardened fat which will rise to the surface

9. substitute low fat yogurt for mayonnaise or sour cream and try evaporated skim milk in place of heavy cream

10. trade in a full fat product for its lower fat version

11. lastly, when you have a choice, switch to unsaturated, liquid vegetable oils such as olive, canola, corn, or safflower in place of lard, butter, or margarine in cooking

Saturated fats are usually animal fats which are solid at room temperature, but keep in mind there are a few vegetable oils also high in saturated fat, namely coconut oil, palm and palm kernel oils, and cocoa butter. If margarine is preferred, use one with liquid vegetable oil as its first ingredient rather than hydrogenated vegetable oil which is higher in saturated fat.