Saturated fat and trans fat in your diet can elevate your cholesterol levels and put you at risk for suffering heart attacks and strokes. All types of fats contain a lot of calories. You can improve your heart health and your waistline by limiting fats in your diet. With a little planning and creativity, you can create a one-week low-fat meal plan that suits your tastes and needs.
Fat Guidelines
MayoClinic.com recommends you limit your daily saturated fat intake to 16 g to 22 g. Animal products provide the main source of saturated fat, so keep your protein choices lean. And keep portions small. Most adults need just 5 oz. to 6 oz of protein daily. Limit trans fat, found mostly in margarine and shortening, to 2 g a day. Fast-food fries, candy bars and commercial baked goods may contain high amounts of trans fat. Keep overall fat consumption to 20 to 35 percent of your daily calories. This amounts to 44 g to 78 g of fat, based on a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet. All types of fat contain about 9 calories per gram or about 100 calories per tablespoon.
Breakfast
To keep fat content low at breakfast, skip meat and obtain your morning protein from non-fat milk, non-fat yogurt or low-fat cheese. Use cooking spray to coat pans and, if you make pancakes, omit the oil called for in the recipe. If you make homemade muffins, substitute applesauce for fat. Some low-fat breakfast choices include French toast made from multi-grain bread and topped with berries and low-fat cottage cheese; oatmeal cooked with non-fat milk and topped with banana slices; a bowl of mixed berries topped with plain, non-fat yogurt; an egg-white omelet with mushrooms, green pepper and onions; or a smoothie made with strawberries, bananas, non-fat milk and ice.
Lunch
At lunch, avoid high-fat meals such as cheeseburgers and fries. Skip creamy salad dressings. Make your own with non-fat plain yogurt, mustard and spices, or toss your favorite greens with balsamic vinegar. Choose mustard over mayonnaise on sandwiches. Make sandwiches from leftovers rather than luncheon meat -- processed meats tend to include more fat. Try these healthy, low-fat lunch ideas: vegetarian bean soup served with a whole grain roll and apple; salad of mixed greens topped with a bounty of green and red vegetables and water-packed white tuna; turkey with lettuce, tomato and sprouts on seeded rye bread; black beans with brown rice and fresh salsa or a fruit and nut salad topped with thin strips of grilled chicken breast.
Dinner
Fish tends to contain less saturated fat than beef, poultry or fish. Most vegetable protein contains little or no saturated fat. Try topping a baked potato with broccoli and 1 oz. of low-fat cheddar cheese rather than butter or sour cream. You can grill, bake or microwave many foods without adding fat. Some dinner menu ideas include: salmon with wild rice and green beans; ham with a baked sweet potato and spinach; a stir-fry with broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, onions, cabbage and tofu; whole wheat pasta with marinara sauce, a medley of vegetables and skinless chicken; a salad of romaine lettuce, black beans, tomatoes, green pepper, salsa, low-fat Mexican cheese and freshly-squeezed lime juice, and a turkey burger served on a whole wheat bun and topped with spinach, tomatoes, lettuce and onions.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Healthy Diet: End the Guesswork With These Nutrition Guidelines; February 2011
- United States Department of Agriculture: My Pyramid
- Brigham and Women's Hospital: Understanding Trans Fat; April 7 2011
- University of California San Francisco Medical Center: Cholesterol Content of Foods; Feb. 2 2011
- United States Department of Agriculture: Nutrient Database
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