Technique: Lowfat Eating

According to the USDA, a food is considered "lowfat" if it contains less than 5%% of a person's Daily Value for fat.

Here are some tips for preparing lowfat meals:

* Trim all visible fat from beef and poultry, and remove the skin from poultry before eating.
* Bake, broil, or roast meat dishes instead of deep-fat frying them. To prevent drying and add flavor, baste with wine, lemon juice, or a low-fat broth.
* Try experimenting with herbs and spices, such as dill, tarragon, cilantro, and basil.
* Avoid fatty gravies and sauces.
* If pan- or stir-frying, use small amounts of vegetable oils such as canola or safflower oil; also increase your use of olive oil.

* Minimize use of butter.
* Minimize use of products, such as margarines, that contain partially hydrogenated oils (trans-fatty acids).
* To cut down on whole-milk products, switch to 2%% or 1%% milk, and perhaps eventually to skim milk. Many people find it easy to get accustomed to low-fat milk, and that when they do so, whole milk tastes too rich. Use the low-fat or skim-milk versions of ricotta, cottage, and mozzarella cheese. Low-fat farmer or pot cheeses also are available. All these cheeses should contain no more than 2­6 grams of fat per ounce. For desserts, substitute ice milk, frozen yogurt (especially the nonfat variety), sherbet or sorbet for ice cream. If you do eat ice cream, choose regular rather than super premium types.
* Limit consumption of foods that contain palm, palm kernel, and coconut oils, lard, butter, unidentified shortening, egg-yolk solids, and whole-milk solids. Also, cut down on baked goods made from these ingredients or that are fried, such as doughnuts.
* Use yogurt instead of sour cream in dips and toppings.
* Use only the egg whites or discard every other yolk in recipes requiring eggs (2 whites = 1 whole egg in recipes). Or try commercial cholesterol-free egg substitutes.
* Reduce the amount of fat in recipes by one-third to one-half, and use chiefly polyunsaturated and monounsaturated oils.
* Shrimp, lobster, and other shellfish may be eaten occasionally because they are lower in cholesterol than previously thought, and do not contain too much saturated fat.
* In coffee, use low-fat or skim milk instead of non-dairy creamers containing saturated fats. Skim milk powder also is acceptable.
* Substitute rice and pasta for egg noodles.
* Make your own popcorn for a low-calorie snack, but be sure to omit the melted butter. Beware of high-fat microwave popcorn products.
* Avoid nuts that are high in saturated fats, such as coconuts and macadamia nuts.
* Incorporate oat fiber into your diet, for example, in oat bran muffins or in casseroles. To increase total fiber intake, look for the words "whole wheat" or "whole grain" near the top of the ingredient list when buying breads and cereals.
* Use fresh fruit for dessert instead of high-fat desserts.
* Choose lowfat luncheon meats such as turkey breast or pressed turkey instead of salami and bologna. Also eat few frankfurters, other sausages, and bacon. When eating turkey, remember that white meat has less fat than dark meat.
* Buy or make salad dressings with predominantly unsaturated oils. Olive oil is an especially good choice. Or try a nonfat type or just vinegar or lemon juice.
* Limit use of organ meats that are very high in cholesterol, such as liver, kidneys, brain, and sweetbreads.
* Prepare soups and stews containing meat the day before eating them. After refrigerating, skim off the congealed fat on the surface prior to reheating.
* Be cautious about store-bought baked products such as pies, cakes, croissants, pastries and muffins. Try to find lowfat cookies and crackers. Or eat home-made baked goods prepared with small amounts of unsaturated oils. Angel cake is a good choice because it is low in fat and cholesterol.
* Use some of the many fat-free, cholesterol-free products marketed as substitutes for products that normally are high in fat.
* Make changes gradually to avoid feeling deprived. For most people, enjoying a rich dessert or a prime rib once in a while is not going to significantly affect their cholesterol level as long as the overall cholesterol-lowering diet is followed most of the time. It is better to splurge once in a while than to cheat a little bit each day.