Dieters looking for non-fat foods still must make healthy choices. Our bodies need all of the essential nutrients, including fat and calories, in certain amounts. Fats provide energy for cellular growth and systemic functions. Fatty acids, components of fat compounds, aid the body in absorbing vitamins A, D, E and K. Eating non-fat foods that provide fiber, vitamins or minerals help you stay within the limits of a low-fat diet while ensuring adequate nutrition.
Beverages
Choose non-fat drinks to accompany a meal. Drinks with traces (less than 0.5 g) of fat are considered nonfat by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Healthy choices of beverages in this category include nonfat milk, lemonade and other fruit juices, tea, coffee, diet cola and water. Minus the fat, their remaining nutrient content or lack of calories make them positive additions to daily meals.
Snacking on nonfat beverages with minimal nutrition or high calories, such as regular cola or beer, increases your risk for obesity. While these drinks have no fat, they have few vitamins and high calories: beer (12 oz), 153 calories; piña colada (5 oz), 245 calories; carbonated cola (12 oz), 137 calories.
Entrees
In order to compose nonfat entrees, you'll have to go vegetarian or serve very small portions of seafood or meat-based soups. These main course features for lunch or dinner are considered fat free: beef consomme (1 cup); cooked lobster (less than 3 oz); chicken and rice soup (less than ½ cup); clam chowder (less than ½ cup).
Try half servings (about 2 oz) of most white fish, such as pollock, haddock, orange roughy, cod or canned tuna. You might combine them with cooked white rice (½ cup), baked potato (one medium) or egg white (two or more whites) for more protein in a low-fat diet. As seasoning, skip the fatty butter for healthy choices such as lemon juice or soy sauce. Fat-free cottage cheese with nearly any fruit makes a good breakfast or lunch.
Sides
These nonfat foods can be combined in 1-cup amounts with other fat free ingredients to make entrees: stewed tomatoes; corn kernels; mushrooms; asparagus; peas; and most other vegetables, except for dried cooked beans and soybeans. Among grains, ½ cup bulgar, white or wild rice; ½ slice of bread; and a 4-inch pita are considered healthy choices.
Maintaining a lowfat diet can hinge on the add-ons you select. For condiments, mustard, catsup and salsa are non fat foods; regular mayonnaise is not. Fresh or dried spices as well as salt have no fat.
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