Low Fat Diet

A low fat diet allows a minimal amount of dietary fat which comprises 15% of the total calorie requirement of the person. The normal fat percentage is 20 to 35% of total calorie requirement per day.

This diet is prescribed to persons with liver disorder, gallbladder problem, hyperlipidemia (increased blood lipid level), and heart disease. (See Hepatitis, Gallstone Formation, Gallbladder Inflammation, Atherosclerosis, Hypercholesterolemia, Hypertension, Myocardial Infarction, Cancer, Diabetes, Gout) This is not as NO-fat diet but a low-fat diet. A right amount of fat is important in the body’s use of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.

Some Tips for a Low Fat Diet

• Avoid pork, fatty meats, animal fats, and animal skin.

• Substitute meat with fish or legume and grain combinations.

• Eat more unrefined or unprocessed foods.

• Increase vegetable and fruit intake except avocado. Avocado is rich in fat.

• Eat fruits instead of rich cakes and sweets for dessert.

• Drink fruit juices instead of full cream milk, milk shakes, malted milk and chocolate drinks.

• Use and drink only soymilk, skim, low fat or nonfat milk. Whole milk and full cream milk products such as cheese and ice cream are fat-rich.

• Boil, bake, and broil as often as desired. Limit frying and sautéing. (In a meal, you may have fried fish if the rest is cooked without fat or you may have sautéed dish with little oil. However, the rest must be fat-free).

• Deep fry rather than fry with little oil when frying is unavoidable. In deep frying, the food absorbs less oil (when it is hot) than frying with little oil. Place fried foods over paper towels to reduce oiliness.

• Sauté once in a while provided just enough oil is used to sauté onion and garlic.

• Prefer plain rice over fat-rich bakery products.

• Eat regularly. A 3-meal-a-day diet is recommended. Eating between meals encourages intake of fat-rich snack foods.

• Eat a good, heavy breakfast and a light supper always.

• Minimize dining out. Commercial food preparations are generally rich in fats, salt, spices, and sugar.

• Choose low fat soups like vegetable soup. Limit creamy soups.

• Take note of salad dressings and sauces. These are usually fat-rich.

• Avoid coffee, tea, alcoholic beverages and soft drinks. Drink 6 to 8 (at least) glasses of water a day between meals. See The Importance of Water.

Note: For List of Foods which are Allowed and Not Allowed for a Low Fat Diet See Low Fat Diet Food Selection Guide

Reference: Healing Wonders of Diet Effective Guide to Diet Therapy p.120-121 © 2003 Philippine Publishing House ISBN 971-581-013-6