Being on a low-fat diet doesn't mean you have to give up all of the foods you love. You can still enjoy a well-balanced diet by incorporating alternative options to fatty foods. A few simple changes in the way you eat can lower your fat intake and make you look and feel much healthier.
Dairy
Dairy products like whole milk, ice cream, sour cream and cheeses are high in fat content. Therefore, instead of having whole milk, drink low-fat 1 percent, reduced-fat 2 percent or skim milk. Rather than digging into a pint of ice cream, have a sorbet, sherbet or fat-free frozen yogurt as a treat. A dallop of plain low-fat yogurt on your baked potato is a substitute for sour cream. Select reduced-calorie and low-fat cheeses that are preferably part-skim.
Grains
Pastas with heavy or cheesy sauces are also high in fat content. A marinara sauce a popular alternative, or load up on vegetables in a pasta primavera. While granola bars seem healthy, they often contain chocolate or peanut butter, which boosts the fat content. Select a reduced-fat granola bar to avoid extra fat and calories.
Meat
Most meat is not only high in fat, but high in saturated fat as well. Lunch meats like bologna, salami and liverwurst are high in fat and sodium and should be avoided. Healthier meat choices include turkey or chicken. A tuna sandwich would also be an alternative. Replace chorizo and pork sausage with turkey or vegetarian sausage. Instead of regular ground beef, try ground turkey or a ground beef that is labeled "extra lean." Bacon is high in fat, but if you can't give up your pork in the morning, try Canadian bacon or lean ham.
Snacks
Snacking can be a challenge when trying to stay on a low-fat diet, but there are several snack food companies that offer reduced-fat or low-calorie options. Low-fat cookies and crackers as well as light or unbuttered popcorn have lower fat and calorie contents. For baked goods, cook with applesauce or prune puree instead of butter or oil to reduce your fat intake as well.
Condiments
Many people think they are eating healthy when they have a salad but don't realize the dressing they are pouring on is significantly augmenting their fat intake. On a low-fat diet, always select low-fat dressings, mayonnaise, butter and other sauces and spreads.
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