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Fat Substitutions
It doesn't matter if you've got high ("bad") LDL or low ("good") HDL. It doesn't matter if you're taking cholesterol-lowering drugs, aspirin, vitamin E, or nothing at all. Experts agree that everyone should be eating a diet that's low in saturated fat.
Here are some simple switches to help you cut saturated fat.
Switch From: |
Switch To: |
Meat, Poultry, Seafood | |
Hamburger, meatloaf | Ground turkey breast, veggie burgers |
T-bone, rib eye, prime rib, etc. | Round steak, sirloin |
Pork chops, ribs | Pork tenderloin |
Regular hot dog, bologna, sausage, etc. | Low-fat hot dog, bologna, sausage, etc. |
Poultry w/skin | Skinless poultry |
Fried chicken or fish | Broiled, grilled, or roasted chicken or fish |
Chicken thigh, wing | Chicken breast, drumstick |
Dairy Products | |
Whole or 2% fat milk | 1% fat or skim milk |
Regular cheese | Reduced-fat or low-fat cheese |
Regular ice cream | Low-fat or fat-free ice cream or frozen yogurt |
Regular cream cheese | Light or fat-free cream cheese |
Sweets & Desserts | |
Cheesecake, cheese danish, croissant, cinnamon roll, brownie, pie, regular or gourmet ice cream, fudge brownie sundae, doughnut, pound cake | Fruit or small serving of low-fat sweet (muffin, cake, cookie, pie, pastry, ice cream, frozen yogurt, sherbet, sorbet, etc.) |
Snacks | |
Chocolate bar, sandwich crackers, ice cream, Bugles, popcorn popped in coconut oil | Fruits, vegetables, whole-grain crackers, "light" popcorn, pretzels, baked potato chips, corn chips, rice cakes |
Fast Food | |
Hamburger, cheeseburger, french fries, pizza, fried chicken, regular milk shake, pot pie, beef taco, beef burrito, taco salad | Grilled chicken sandwich, salad with light dressing, chili, plain baked potato, bean burrito, "light" chicken taco or burrito |
Restaurant Sandwiches | |
BLT, chicken salad, corned beef, egg salad, grilled cheese, ham, tuna salad | Turkey (sliced), roast beef, grilled vegetable, grilled chicken, hummus |
Dinner Houses | |
Hamburger, cheeseburger, baby back ribs, chicken fingers, steak fajitas, bacon & cheese grilled chicken sandwich, french fries, loaded potato, onion rings, buffalo wings, fried mozzarella sticks, stuffed potato skins | Grilled chicken or seafood, chicken or vegetable fajitas, Gardenburger, chicken salad with light dressing, pasta with chicken or shrimp or vegetables in any non-cream sauce, baked potato (with a tablespoon of sour cream), vegetable of the day |
Chinese Restaurant Food | |
Moo shu pork, sweet & sour pork, kung pao chicken, General Tso's chicken, orange (crispy) beef | Stir-fried vegetables, shrimp or chicken with garlic sauce, Hunan or Szechuan shrimp or chicken or tofu |
Italian Restaurant Food | |
Lasagna, manicotti, eggplant or veal parmigiana, fettuccine Alfredo, fried calamari | Spaghetti with tomato or meat sauce, linguini with red or white clam sauce |
Mexican Restaurant Food | |
Taco salad, enchilada, beef chimichanga, chile relleno, cheese quesadilla, beef & cheese nachos, beef burrito | Chicken or vegetable fajitas, chicken or bean burrito, chicken taco |
Seafood Restaurant Food | |
Seafood casserole, any fried seafood, baked stuffed shrimp | Any broiled, grilled, blackened, or steamed seafood |
Restaurant Breakfasts | |
Belgian waffles, biscuits & gravy, ham & cheese omelette, sausage, egg-pancake-sausage-bacon platter | Hot or cold cereal, scrambled egg substitute, hash browns, ham, pancakes (if they hold the margarine), toast or bagel with preserves or marmalade, fresh fruit or juice |
Condiments | |
Butter or margarine, sour cream | Whipped light butter, lower-fat tub margarine, fat-free or low-fat sour cream |
Source: CSPI
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