According to the American Heart Association, fat should make up no more than 30 percent of daily total calories. Diets high in fat increase the risk of developing high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diseases such as cardiovascular disease and certain cancers, and can lead to weight gain. Also, high-fat diets have recently been linked to poor sleeping habits and Alzheimer's disease. Although too much fat in the diet can have health consequences, fat plays an important role in vital bodily functions and should not be completely avoided.
Why the Body Needs Fat
In addition to providing the body with much-needed energy, fat also:
- Enables the body to store and absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.
- Promotes healthy skin and hair.
- Protects and supports vital organs.
- Supplies the body with essential fatty acids the body needs but cannot make and must get from food.
Simple Ways to Reduce Dietary Fat
Reducing dietary fat doesn't mean giving up favorite foods all together. Opting for healthier versions can have a huge impact on reducing dietary fat. Simple ways to reduce fat in the diet include:
- Instead of full-fat dairy products, opt for low-fat or nonfat milk, cheese, yogurt, sour cream, and reduced-fat ice cream.
- Prepare foods by roasting, baking, broiling, boiling, steaming, stir-frying or grilling instead of frying.
- If fried foods are a must, use nonfat cooking sprays or nonstick pans to prepare them.
- Opt for healthy oils such as canola or olive oil instead of lard or butter.
- Trim all visible fat from meat and remove skin from poultry. After preparing meat, drain the fat.
- Choose leaner cuts of red meats or substitute with buffalo or venison. Substitute ground turkey for ground beef or mix half ground turkey and half ground beef.
- Limit deli meats such as bologna, pepperoni, and salami. Eat other high-fat meats such as sausage, bacon, and hot dogs in moderation.
- Flavor foods with spices instead of with butter or heavy sauces.
- Instead of topping pasta with oil or cream sauce, use marinara or other tomato-based sauces.
- Opt for low-fat versions of butter, cream cheese, margarine, mayonnaise, and salad dressings.
- Choose reduced-sodium baked tortilla chips instead of fried tortilla chips.
- Choose broth-based soups instead of cream-based soups.
Those following a low-fat diet should be wary of "fat-free" foods since many of these products actually contain more calories than the full-fat version.
Sources:
Université Laval (2008, October 31). High-fat Diet Could Promote Development Of Alzheimer's Disease. ScienceDaily.com. Retrieved December 9, 2008.
Laino, Charlene (2008, June 10). High-Fat Diet Linked to Poor Sleep: Study Shows Fat-Laden Dinner Ups Risk of Disruptive Sleep. WebMD.com. Retrieved December 9, 2008.
Bauer, J. (2005). Total Nutrition. New York: The Penguin Group.
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