Low
saturated fat dietThe best way to reduce the possibly harmful amount of fat and cholesterol in your blood is to limit the total amount of fat you eat and to change some of the saturated fat in your diet for unsaturated fat.
As a rough guide:
Saturated fat is usually of animal origin and solid at room
temperature. Includes: butter, cream, milk fat, meat fat.
Unsaturated or polyunsaturated fat is usually of vegetable
origin, and liquid at room temperature. Includes: vegetable oils,
polyunsaturated margarines.
Cholesterol occurs naturally in some foods and is made in your
body. By limiting your fat intake you will also limit
cholesterol.
WHAT TO EAT
- Meat - small portions only. Remove all visible fat.
- Fish - all kinds, but grill or steam, don't fry. Shellfish may be eaten occasionally if liked.
- Eggs - not more than about 5 eggs in one week.
- Cheese - not more than about 50g (2oz) cheddar type cheese in one week. Cottage cheese may be eaten as desired.
- Milk - use skimmed milk, fresh or dried, if possible. Low fat yoghurt is suitable, but remember fruit varieties contain sugar, so are fattening.
- Margarine - use polyunsaturated margarine instead of butter, but try not to use more than 150g (6oz) weekly.
- Oil - use vegetable oil instead of solid fat for cooking, but try not to have fried foods very often.
- Vegetables, fruit - eat plenty of these, but do not add any fat. If you want to eat chips of fried potatoes occasionally, cook them in vegetable oil.
- Bread and cereals - wholemeal bread may be better than white. Eat it with a scrape of polyunsaturated margarine. Have skimmed milk on breakfast cereal, and use skimmed milk for custard or milk
- puddings.
WHAT TO AVOID
Butter, lard, ordinary margarine, cream, ice-cream, pastry, cakes or biscuits made with saturated fat. Fat on meat, cream cheese, salad cream, mayonnaise, chocolate, toffees, fudge, butterscotch.
Sample menu
Breakfast
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Mid-morning
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Lunch
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Tea
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Supper
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Bed-time
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