Health Options Alan Titchenal  & Joannie Dobbs                   Wednesday, October 14, 1998

Tiny changes lower intake of dietary fat

Tiny changes lower intake of dietary fat.

In our last column we discussed becoming "fat smart." But how can we do this in today's hectic world? Is it really possible to eat less than 50 grams of fat and still maintain a normal lifestyle? The answer is a qualified YES, if we are willing to make some small changes and keep our cardiovascular system in mind when we eat.

Here is a sample of a day's food intake that has less than 50 grams of fat Breakfast:

2 large hard boiled eggs1 large ba­gel 1 tablespoon jam4 fluid ounces orange juice1 mug coffee/tea3-4 tablespoons 2% milk Breakfast Total= 12-14 grams of fat Plate Lunch:

7 oz Grilled MahiMahi - no tartar sauce Tossed Salad with non-fat salad dressing or bring your own favorite non-fat dressing 2 scoops rice Spicy vegetable juice cocktail - easy to carry with you if neces­sary Lunch Total = 5-10 grams of fat.

Dinner:

1 cup cooked linguini pasta

1/2 cup Marinara Sauce

1 tablespoon parmesan cheese

2 Hot Fresh Bread Rolls

1 teaspoon butter

Salad with non-fat salad dressing

1/2 cup ice cream

Dinner Total = 15-21 grams of fat

Snacks:

Fruits and vegetables contain lots of antioxidants but only trace amounts of fat. As a good choice for snacks, choose at least two of

your favorite fruits and/or fresh vegetables. And a cup of low-fat

yogurt fits into the 50 grams scheme quite well.

Snack Total = 1-5 grams of fat

GRAND TOTAL: 33-50 grams of fat

So where is the Fat? Here's a list of the typical "fat weak links" in our diets along with a few alter­natives.

All oils = 14 g fat/Tbsp

Non-stick sprays 1 g fat/second

Butter = 12 g fat/Tbsp

Margarine = 12g fat/Tbsp

Peanut Butter = 8g fat/Tbsp

Mayonnaise = 11 g fat/Tbsp

Miracle Whip type = 5 g fat/Tbsp

Sour Cream = 3 g fat/Tbsp

Cream = 1.5 g fat/Tbsp

Whole Milk = 1/2 g fat/Tbsp

1% Milk = 1/4 g fat/Tbsp

Cheeses vary from 5-10 g fat/1 oz depending on their moisture con­tent and fat content. Part-skim mozzarella cheese is 7 g fat/1 oz and cream cheese is 10 g fat/1 oz. Reading the Nutrition Facts panel on packages will help to determine

which cheeses fit into your dietary preferences.

Nuts range from 1/2g fat for one almond to 2.5 g fat for one maca­damia nut. Avocado = 5g fat/2 Tbsp

Cooked Meats, Fowl, Fish:

Roundtip Beef = 6g fat/3 ounces

Veal = 6g fat/3 ounces Lean leg of lamb = 6g fat/3 ounces Lean pork = 4 g fat/3 ounces

Chicken breast with skin = 7g fat-without skin = 3g fat/3 ounces

Chicken thigh with skin = 14g fat-without skin = 9g fat/3 ounces

Egg = 5g fat each

Ahi = 3g fat/3 ounces

Bluefin Tuna = 5g fat/3 ounces

Butterfish = 10g fat/3 ounces

Mahi Mahi = 1g fat/3 ounces

Snapper = 1.5g fat/3 ounces

Swordfishes = 5g fat/3 ounces

Tofu (firm) = 7g fat/3 ounces

Tofu (soft) =2g fat/3 ounces

Texturized Vegetable Protein (TVP) = 1 g fat/3 ounces Coissant = 10-15g each (2 ounce) Glazed Doughnut = 12-15g fat (2 ounce) Mega muffin 15-30g fat each (6-8 ounce) Chocolate bar = 9 grams fat/ounce Potato chips 7g fat/10 chips Being aware of some of these key foods and making simple changes can make a very big dif­ference in your daily fat intake.