How To Reduce Saturated Fat In Your Diet

Have you ever wondered how to reduce saturated fat in your diet? Many studies have shown that an excessive diet of saturated fat is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, the leading cause of death in the world. As a result, reducing saturated fat in your daily diet is critical, not just for heart health but also for overall wellness. Here are some simple ways to reduce saturated fat in your diet that you may incorporate into your meals. Follow PowerPAC plus to learn more!!!

Why saturated fats are unhealthy for you

Saturated fats are detrimental to your health and the health of your children in a number of ways. It may appear to be “fine” on the surface, but undesirable fat build-ups inside your body are covertly harming your body, enveloping the organs and causing major health problems:

• Heart disease is a possibility. Healthy fats are required by your body for energy and other activities. Saturated fat, on the other hand, can cause cholesterol to build up in the arteries (blood vessels). Saturated fats increase LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. Heart disease and stroke are linked to high LDL cholesterol levels.
• Gaining weight. Saturated fat is abundant in many high-fat foods, such as pizza, baked products, and fried dishes. Eating too much fat might lead you to gain weight by adding extra calories to your diet. Every gram of fat contains 9 calories. This is more than twice as much as carbs and protein combined.
• Cutting down high-fat foods can help you lose weight and maintain your heart in good shape. Maintaining a healthy weight can help you avoid diabetes, heart disease, and other health issues.

Foods that are high in saturated fats

Saturated fat is found in:

• Butter, ghee, suet, lard, coconut oil and palm oil
• cakes
• biscuits
• fatty cuts of meat
• sausages
• fried foods: french fries, fried chicken, fish nuggets, etc
• bacon
• cured meats like salami, chorizo and pancetta
• cheese
• pastries, such as pies, quiches, sausage rolls and croissants
• cream, crème fraîche and sour cream
• ice cream
• coconut milk and coconut cream
• milkshakes
• chocolate and chocolate spreads

How much saturated fat can we take per day?

UK health guidelines recommend that:

• The average guy between the ages of 19 and 64 should consume no more than 30 grams of saturated fat each day.
• The average woman between the ages of 19 and 64 should consume no more than 20 grams of saturated fat per day.
• 18g for 4-6 year-olds
• 22g for 7-10 year-olds
• 11 and up: 28 g

The majority of foods have a mixture of fats. Healthy fats, such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, are preferable to saturated fats. At room temperature, these lipids are usually liquid. The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans include the following recommendations:

• Fats should account for no more than 25% to 30% of your daily calorie intake.
  Saturated fat should account for no more than 10% of your daily calories.
• Limit saturated fats to fewer than 7% of your total daily calories to further minimize your risk of heart disease.
• This equates to 140 to 200 calories or 16 to 22 grams (g) of saturated fats per day on a 2,000-calorie diet. One slice of cooked bacon, for example, has roughly 9 g of saturated fat.
• If you have heart disease or high cholesterol, your doctor may advise you to reduce saturated fat consumption even further.

Simple tips on reducing saturated fats

Cutting down the total fat

To help you cut the total amount of fat in your diet:

• When you go grocery shopping, compare food labels to find foods that are lower in fat.
• lower-fat or dairy-free options
• Instead of frying or roasting, cook food on the grill, bake it, poach it, or steam it.
• To manage the amount of oil you use, use a teaspoon or an oil spray.
• Before preparing meat and poultry, cut any visible fat and remove the skin.
• Choose leaner, lower-fat types of meat, such as turkey breast and reduced-fat mince.
• Prepare beef stews and curries. add vegetables and beans to make it even better
• Reduced-fat spreads, such as those made with olive or sunflower oils, are a good option.

Cutting down saturated fat

• Look at the nutrition labels! Compare labels and choose the product with the least amount of saturated fat.
• Before cooking, remove the skin from fowl and other meats.
• Choose leaner cuts of meat with less visible fat and lower fat percentages in ground meats (i.e. 90-95 percent lean).
• Substitute healthier options like No Salt Added tuna, salmon, or skinless baked chicken for cured deli meats like salami, pepperoni, and bologna.
• Instead of using butter or palm oil to fry meals, try using olive oil, avocado oil, or canola oil to bake or sauté them.
• To reduce the amount of butter in your recipes, flavor them with spices, herbs, and garlic.
• Avocado can be used in place of mayonnaise, butter, or margarines in sandwiches and toast.
• Full-fat dairy products (yogurt, whole milk, cream) should be used in moderation or replaced with lower-fat or non-dairy substitutes, such as unsweetened almond milk.
• Instead of sour cream, low-fat plain yogurt can be used to add creaminess.
• Choose fresh fruit instead of rich pastries to cut down on your sugar intake.

Eating out

Tips to help you cut down on saturated fat when eating out: 

• Coffee: Substitute ordinary “skinny” coffee for large full milk coffee. Adding cream on top isn’t a good idea.
• Curry: Instead of creamy curries like korma, pasanda, or masala, opt for dry or tomato-based foods like tandoori or madras. Instead of pilau rice and naan, opt for plain rice and chapati.
• Chinese: Steamed fish, chicken chop suey, or szechuan prawns are all low-fat options.
• Thai: Consider a stir-fried or steamed chicken, fish, or veggie dish. Coconut milk, which is heavy in saturated fat, should be avoided in curries. Try not to consume all of the sauce if you choose one of these.

Snack time: replace high-sugar, high-salt, and high-fat items like chocolate, doughnuts, and pastries with:

• some fruit
• wholegrain toast
• low-fat and lower-sugar yogurt
• a small handful of unsalted nuts
• a currant bun
• a slice of fruit loaf
• a slice of malt loaf

Cooking Tips

• Deep-fried foods should be avoided.
• Before cooking, trim visible fat from meats and remove the skin from poultry.
• Poultry, fish, and lean meats can be baked, broiling, boiling, poaching, or roasting.
• Drain and discard any fat that drips from the meat while it cooks.
• Foods with minimal or no fat should be avoided.
• Grease pans for cooking or baking with vegetable oil sprays.
• Vegetables are steamed.
• To flavor dishes, use herbs or no-oil marinades.

Reading Nutrition Labels

Healthy eating always comes with being well aware of what you put inside your body. All packaged ingredients have a nutrients label that consists of dietary fats content. Reading meal labels will let you keep track of how much saturated fats you eat. Check the full fats in 1 serving. Also, take a look at the quantity of saturated fats in a serving. Then take notes on what number of servings you eat. As a guide, while evaluating or analyzing labels: 

• Fat and LDL cholesterol account for only 5% of daily costs.
• Fat is responsible for 20% of the daily price, which is a significant amount.

Choose ingredients that are low in saturated and trans fats. Many fast food restaurants also provide nutritional information on their menus. If you don’t see it listed, inquire with your server. You can also look for it on the restaurant’s website.

Bottom lines

Fat is necessary for the development of internal organs as well as the brain. Saturated fat, on the other hand, has more negative effects on our health than positive effects. Start reducing saturated fat in your diet by following these simple healthy eating guidelines to help you and your loved ones keep a healthy heart. Follow PowerPAC plus to learn more!!!