Low Fat Recipes – try tasty and healthy alternatives…
So you’ve made the commitment to a low fat diet. You’re doing well and losing weight at a steady rate. But that food! So bland and lifeless! If this is how you feel about low fat food, your recipe book needs a booster shot. There are plenty of tasty and healthy low fat recipes out there just waiting for you to try. With a bit of knowledge, you can even develop your own low fat recipes.
Low fat diets are great for lowering cholesterol and protecting against heart disease. As a weight loss diet too they are very effective for shedding those extra pounds. Foods that are high in fat include meats, dairy products, beans and nuts. You don’t have to stop eating those foods. Just find low fat recipes that allow you to eat less.
A low fat diet usually means that less than 30% of your daily calories are in the form of fat. There are two types of fats – saturated and unsaturated. Saturated fats are associated with high cholesterol. They are found in meat, dairy and bakery products. Try to find low fat recipes that limit saturated fats to 10% of your calories.
Unsaturated fats are healthier. They are found in oils, nuts and high fat fish like salmon. If you are making your own low fat recipes, try to replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats as much as possible.
Your low fat diet should include plenty of fruit and vegetables and grains. Fats and oils should be limited in their use. For dairy, try to choose the low fat products, and stick to lean meats, poultry and fish for your protein foods. That gives you plenty of options when following low fat recipes.
The cooking utensils you choose can make a big difference in low fat recipes. Non-stick pans will allow you to cook with just a little bit of oil for taste. When you’re baking, use paper liners for muffins so you don’t have to grease the pan. If you have a low fat recipe that calls for stir frying, use a wok. With a good quality wok you can use broth instead of oil for stir frying.
Maybe you have some favorite dishes from before your low fat days. Here are some tips for converting them into low fat recipes. If you have a recipe that uses both meat and vegetables, try increasing the vegetable portion while decreasing the meat portion. Gravies don’t need fat to be thickened. Mix a bit of flour with milk or broth and use that as an effective thickener.
There’s no need to feel deprived when following a low fat diet. The huge variety of low fat recipes ensures that you can eat well and eat healthy at the same time. Plus, it’s easy and fun to develop your own low fat recipes. Be creative in the kitchen and your body will thank you for it!
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