Despite a few exceptions, most foods of high nutritional value tend to be low in fat. Those exceptions include foods like avocados and nuts, which have healthy fats, as opposed to unhealthy, saturated fats found in red meat and pork, for example. But most fruits and vegetables pack plenty of vitamins and minerals and little fat. You can also find low-fat variations of foods that can also come in higher-fat forms, such as skim milk and lean meat.
Skim Milk
Skim milk is sometimes packaged as "fat-free" milk, though by law it can have up to 0.5 percent fat, a fairly negligible amount. Skim milk may have less taste than low-fat or whole milk, but it has the same levels of calcium and other nutrients as milk with more fat. One cup of skim milk, for example, has about 300 mg of calcium, or around 30 percent of your recommended daily allowance. Skim milk is also high in phosphorous, folate, vitamin B12 and potassium. You also can find skim milk that is fortified with vitamin A and additional calcium.
Spinach
Popeye knew what he was doing having a healthy serving of spinach whenever he needed a boost. Just 1 cup of raw spinach has 2,813 International Units (IUs) of vitamin A, which is essential for bone and muscle health, as well as healthy eyes and tissue throughout the body. That serving of spinach will provide you more than half the vitamin A you should have daily. Spinach is also one of the best food sources of vitamin K, which is needed for a healthy circulation system.
Tomatoes
One medium-sized raw tomato has no fat and only 22 calories, but it's a good source of vitamins A, C and K. Tomatoes are also among the best food sources for lycopene, a carotenoid associated with boosting the immune system, promoting a healthier reproductive system and fighting cell-damaging free radical molecules in the body. Lycopene is associated with lower risks of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Whole Foods notes that the effectiveness of lycopene in the body is bolstered when tomatoes are cooked at high temperatures, so pasteurized and canned tomatoes or cooked tomatoes can provide even greater benefits than raw tomatoes.
Lentils
Lentils are easy to prepare and can add protein, fiber and other nutrients to a soup without adding any fat. One cup of cooked lentils has no fat, but around 15 g of dietary fiber. Lentils also have isoflavones, which are associated with a lower risk of breast cancer, according to Whole Foods, which also recommends lentils as a good source of folate, manganese, iron, vitamin B1 and potassium.
Member Comments