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Simple Changes to Make a Low Fat Diet Menu

June 16th, 2009 -- Posted in Low Fat Diet | No Comments »

Whether an individual is trying to lose weight or not, learning to create a low fat diet menu is an important skill to living a healthy lifestyle. There are simple ways to create this type of a menu and it does not require sacrificing taste to do it. There are many different websites and cookbooks on the market today that can also help each individual create the best low fat diet menu for them.

Reducing Fat and Preserving Taste

Many individuals who love eating meat fear that creating a low fat diet will mean that they have to cut it out altogether or that they will not be able to create their favorite dishes. There are simple ways to reduce the fat content in meat so that the same cuts can be used and the dishes can be created. With chicken, the main way to use it in a low fat diet menu is to not use the skin when cooking it. Although the skin helps to keep the meat moist while cooking, it adds extra fat to the meat which is not needed or healthy. Instead of keeping the skin on, individuals can still maintain the moistness of the meat by using a non-fat marinate while cooking, adding more of the marinade throughout the cooking process to keep the meat moist as well as flavorful. Also, not using the skin does not mean that breaded chicken is lost forever in a low fat diet menu, it merely means that there will not be skin under the crispy breading. The chicken can be cooked with the breading in the oven or by frying it in a pan with low fat cooking oil.

For red meats which are higher in fat and cholesterol, it is important to find the leanest cuts of meat possible and to reduce the amount of red meat eaten in a low fat diet menu. Trimming off the fat from all types of meat is important since it is not healthy or needed in the diet. Also, substituting turkey burger instead of hamburger is a way to reduce fat without sacrificing taste. If hamburger is desired, the leanest type should be bought, with a ten percent fat content at the highest and all excess grease drained off before using the burger in dishes after browning it.

Dairy products are also high in fat, so buying low fat or non fat dairy items is another way to reduce fat in a low fat diet menu. This allows individuals to still use these items in their dishes but it can drastically reduce the fat in their diet.

Creating a Low Fat, Low Cholesterol Diet

June 14th, 2009 -- Posted in Low Fat Diet | No Comments »

There are many different diets on the market today that claim to be the best way for individuals to lose weight, such as a high protein, low fat diet which is usually low in carbohydrates as well. Although these diets will often achieve their claims, there are also health risks involved in going to extremes to lose weight, since the basic food groups are not met and the body has to work extra hard in some areas which can cause health problems rather than solutions. When choosing a weight loss plan, individuals should consult their doctor beforehand to make sure there are not any health situations that they need to be aware of and to discuss the nutrition of the diet plan that they are considering embarking upon.

Healthy Eating

Low fat and low cholesterol diets are a fairly good means most of the time to maintain a healthy diet but to also lose weight. The body does need some fat and good cholesterol in the diet in order to function properly, so eliminating these materials completely is not a wise choice. It is wise, however, to decrease the amounts of saturated fat and bad cholesterol that usually accompanies it in the diet so that the body can lose weight and still function properly.

There are easy ways to start to achieve a low fat low cholesterol diet. One of the best ways is to reduce the amount of red meat that is eaten since it is higher in fat and cholesterol that chicken or fish. If individuals really love red meat, they can often substitute turkey burger without being to tell much if any difference in taste. For steaks or other large cuts of meat, it is important to trim all excess fat from the meat and to prepare it without adding extra fat to the meat in a low fat, low cholesterol diet. Grilling is a great way to prepare any type of meat since it naturally allows the extra fat to be cooked off and to fall away from the meat so that the fat content is reduced.

Another way to create a low fat, low cholesterol diet is to use cooking sprays rather than oils, butter or margarine as much as possible when cooking. The cooking sprays work just as well as these other oils and have a fraction of the fat and cholesterol content and in many cases are fat and cholesterol free. When baking, there are also substitutes for oils in the breads or muffins, such as using apple sauce instead, which maintain the moistness of the breads without changing the taste.