Fat-Restricted Diet

The Surgical Group of Southwest Michigan

269.381.4577, or Toll-Free at 1.800.211.0666

Medical Specialties Building

1535 Gull Road, Suite 020

Kalamazoo, MI 49048

read the ingredients on the food label.

SATURATED FATS

These are the biggest dietary cause of high LDL levels ("bad cholesterol"). When looking at a food label, pay very close attention to the percentage of saturated fat and avoid or limit any foods that are high. Saturated fat should be limited to 10% of calories. Saturated fats are found in animal products such as butter, cheese, whole milk, ice cream, cream, and fatty meats. They are also found in some vegetable oils -- coconut, palm, and palm kernel oils. (Note: Most other vegetable oils contain unsaturated fat and are healthy.)

UNSATURATED FATS

Fats that help to lower blood cholesterol if used in place of saturated fats. However, unsaturated fats have a lot of calories, so you still need to limit them. Most (but not all) liquid vegetable oils are unsaturated. (The exceptions include coconut, palm, and palm kernel oils.) There are two types of unsaturated fats: Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated

TRANS FATTY ACIDS

These fats form when vegetable oil hardens (a process called hydrogenation) and can raise LDL levels. They can also lower HDL levels ("good cholesterol").

HYDROGENATED AND PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED FATS

This refers to oils that have become hardened (such as hard butter and margarine). Partially hydrogenated means the oils are only partly hardened. Foods made with hydrogenated oils should be avoided because they contain high levels of trans fatty acids, which are linked to heart disease.

side effects

Eating too much saturated fat is one of the major risk factors for heart disease. A diet high in saturated fat causes a soft, waxy substance called cholesterol to build up in the arteries. Too much fat also increases the risk of heart disease because of its high calorie content, which increases the chance of becoming obese (another risk factor for heart disease and some types of cancer).

A fat restricted diet may be prescribed for persons with diseases of the liver, gallbladder or pancreas. It may also be prescribed in cases of problems with interference in the digestion, absorption or transportation of fat.

The following guidelines eliminate most foods high in fat content, and restrict the intake of others. It may be necessary to limit or avoid completely certain foods, which cause discomfort such as gaseous distress.

Besides restricting total fat intake per day to 40-50 grams, it is necessary to restrict the fat intake at each meal. This can be accomplished by limiting meat to a maximum of 2 ounces per meal, or substituting other foods for meat.

Fats (Limit to 3 tsp daily; including fat used in cooking.)

Allowed
Margarine, butter, mayonnaise, salad dressing, vegetable oil, shortening and lard. Non-fat gravy, low-fat salad dressings, non-dairy creamers, vegetable spray coating.
Avoid
Half & Half, coffee cream, whipping cream, sour cream, cream cheese, peanut butter and gravy made with fat.

Meat, Fish, Poultry, Eggs & Cheese (Limit meat to 5 ounces daily. Choose less marbled cuts. Bake, roast, broil, boil or stew meats.)

Allowed
Lean meats. Water-packed tuna, skinless poultry. Low-fat cheese. Cottage cheese (1/4 cup of 2 percent cottage cheese 1 ounce meat). Eggs (1 egg = 1 ounce meat). Meat substitute.
Avoid
Regular hamburger (less than 80 percent lean), sausage, hot dogs, lunch meats, corned beef, duck, goose, oil-packed fish, cheese other than low-fat, fried egg and fried meat products.

Bread, Cereal & Grains

Allowed
Enriched, raisin, bread sticks, English muffins, bagels, hard rolls and tortillas. Crackers: graham, saltines, soda, melba toast and rusk. Cooked cereals, hominy, grits, enriched and/or whole grain pastas, rice and noodles.
Avoid
Egg, cheese, quick biscuits, cornbread, muffins, waffles, French toast, popovers, pancakes and dumplings. High-fat crackers.

Vegetables

Allowed
All fresh, frozen and canned vegetables.
Avoid
Pork and beans, refried beans, vegetable in cream or cheese sauce.

Dairy

Allowed
Skim, ½ percent, non-fat dry, low-fat buttermilk, cocoa with skim, evaporated skim and low-fat yogurt.
Avoid
Whole milk and its products, 2 percent, eggnog and regular yogurt.

Soups

Allowed
Bouillon, fat-free broth, home-made soups. Commercially canned soups mixed with water or skim milk, except those listed.
Avoid
Cheddar cheese, bean with bacon, cream of (anything).

Sweets / Snacks

Allowed
Sugar, honey, jam, jelly, hard candy, molasses, jelly beans, marshmallows, pretzels, unbuttered popcorn, gelatin, popsickles, sherbet, wafer or sugar cones, low-fat puddings, angel food cake and frozen low-fat yogurt.
Avoid
Chocolate, coconut, caramel, nuts, potato chips, olives, buttered popcorn, ice cream, custard, frosting, cookies, cake, pie crust and most commercial / restaurant desserts.