How to Substitute Fat in Your Everyday Diet.

Fat is a nutrient that is a contributor to the increasing
problem of obesity in the world today. It’s stored in the fat
cells of the body. The number of fat cells is estimated to be
around 50 billion for the average person. It can be up to 100
billion for the obese person.

Fat cells are like storage tanks of energy to be used for later
use. It has been shown that obese people who binge eat may
stimulate baby fat cells to sprout to increase the number of fat
cells they have.

Fats are found in foods such as butter, margarine, oils, fats,
dripping, nuts and oil seeds. Research conducted indicates that
good fats such as fish oils especially deep sea fish, olive oil,
canola oil, avocado and nuts contain important fatty acids which
if taken by people aged 65 plus reduced the risk of a fatal
heart attack by 44%.

Other names for fats include… Lard, animal shortening, coconut
oil, palm oil, vegetable oil, butterfat, whole milk solids,
copra, tallow, chocolate chips, shortening, margarine, cocoa
butter.

Now lets have a look at the different types of fat. There are
three types of fat to found in the diet.

Saturated fats – are found mainly in animal products and do the
most damage and are the most related to the build-up of
cholesterol in the arteries. . Research has indicated that
saturated fats in the diet can increase LDL cholesterol levels
in the blood, which is the unwanted cholesterol and should be
avoided. The following foods contain this type of fat: Meat
Dairy Eggs Cakes, biscuits and pastries

Monounsaturated fats – Monounsaturated fats help to decrease the
cholesterol and LDL levels in the blood. The following foods
contain this type of fat: Olive Oil Canola Oil Peanut Oil

Polyunsaturated fats – Polyunsaturated fats in small quantities
can help to decrease total cholesterol. Examples of
polyunsaturated Fats – would be vegetable oil and palm oil.

As pointed out before, consuming fats is the major culprit that
leads to fat being on the human body mainly because fats are
high in calories. I recommended that people eat less than 20% of
total their total calories from fat.

We also know that eating too much fat leads to health problems
and weight-gain, but we do need some healthy fats in our diet.
Fats are a source of soluble vitamins A, D and E. Fats provide
hormone production and skin health and protection of vital
organs and insulation Too much fat in the diet however, can
increase the risk of a number of lifestyle diseases that are
common in the western world

So Please… Limit the saturated fats in your diet – which
includes butter, cream, full-fat dairy products, fatty meats,
cakes, pastries and fried foods.

Choose lean meats where possible and trim visible fat and skin
before cooking Select low fat dairy products where possible

Be aware of the hidden fats in processed foods and foods high in
salt Choose liquid fats over solid fats e.g. olive and canola
oil over butter

Include amounts of unsaturated or ‘good fats’ in your diet.
Sources include fish, olive and canola oil, nuts and avocado

Also try to include the good omega-3 fats daily – fatty fish
such as salmon, tuna, and sardines are good sources and try to
eat three fish meals a week if you can.

Below is a list of fat substitutions that you can apply in your
everyday diet whether it is at work, home, or dining out.

Current FoodChange to Cheese – High fat types…Cheddar and other
hard cheeses.Lower fat varieties e.g. Edam, Cottage, Mozzarella,
Ricotta, Gouda. Chips/French friesThick cut ‘wedges’ or oven
baked chips ChocolateEat in moderation and buy the best quality.
Substitute jelly babies or other sugar treat. CreamReduced fat
cream, use low-fat yoghurt or evaporated skim milk. Creamed
SoupsCheck label for fat, use clear soups. Croissants,
pastriesBagels, bread rolls, finger buns. CustardLow fat custard
DoughnutsCrumpets, plain scones, raisin loaf. Ice CreamReduced
fat Varieties. Meat (beef, lamb, pork)Lean beef, trim lamb, new
pork or other 90%. Fat free cuts/mince. Muesli BarsCheck label
for fat, buy breakfast bars, Power bars. PiesReduced fat pies,
use filo pastry Potato CrispsPretzels Salad dressings –
Mayonnaise, FrenchUse vinegar or lemon juice Savoury
biscuitsWheat crisp bread Sweet biscuitsPlain biscuits wheat
meal. TV mealsLower fat varieties (check label for fat).

There are many ways to achieving a reduced fat diet. Here are
some examples:

Breakfast

·If you like butter or margarine on toast, only have it on the
last slice you eat. ·If you don’t feel like a solid breakfast,
have a fruit smoothie. ·Mix up your own cereal from two or three
types and give your creation a name.

Lunch

·If you eat lunch away from home, plan it the night before. Make
sandwiches before you go to bed. ·Try some thick vegetable soup
with a fresh bread roll to dip. ·Invest in a cool bag to keep
your lunch fresh.

Dinner

·Try oven-baked potato wedges with a salsa topping. ·Go for
fresh pasta with a quick tomato and basil sauce. ·for dessert,
have a piece of fresh fruit with a yoghurt topping.

Snacks

·Salsa dip with pretzels ·Plain fruit loaf ·Yoghurt ·Vanilla
dairy custard.

Before a workout

·Small glass of fruit juice ·Banana and Custard ·Half a slice of
toast with jam.

After a workout

·Fruit/canned fruit ·Wheat Bites ·Rice cakes with honey.

At Work

·On your desk – bottle of water or glass to use at the water
dispenser. ·In your desk – piece of fruit, small pull-top can of
baked beans/creamed corn/stewed fruit. ·Bring a few ingredients
from home to be combined at work. ·Keep some cutlery where you
work.

On a Plane

·Order a special meal when you book your ticket. You’ll usually
get served first. ·Ask for an extra roll or two.

At the Hotel

·Take your own favourite cereal and reduced fat milk. ·Ask that
the foods be removed from the snack bar. Eat your own low fat
nibbles.

Take-Aways

Burger Bar – Plain grilled burger, skim milk milkshake.

Pizza Parlour – Gourmet pizza with lots of veggies, go easy on
the cheese.

Kebab House – A little meat with a lot of salad.

Sandwich Bar – Salad sandwiches/Rolls.

Club – A little meat, heaps of mashed/jacked potato and veggies,
pasta/rice.

Indian – Lots of boiled rice, tikka, plain naan, dahl soup,
raita.

Chinese – Lots of boiled rice, chop suey, steamed dishes, plain
noodles.

Italian – Tomato-based dishes, plain bread.

Suggestions in General

1.Record your food intake to identify problem areas. E.g.
emotional eating, unwanted hunger cravings, over-eating.

2.Pay specific attention to the times when you over eat.

3.Try to avoid severe food restriction (like fasting, low
calorie dieting).

4.When measuring your progress, monitor body fat levels, not
weight throw the scale out. 5.Aim for slow fat loss (one pound /
week)

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