Lower the fat in your diet by converting fat grams to fat percentages, then reading labels and following our simple steps to lower dietary fat. Low fat diets offer health benefits.  Fatted and fatting foods should be lowered.  Change your eating habits to eat less fatty foods and possibly to lose weight but certainly to be healthier. Remember, though, some fatty acids are good. See steps to lower fat in diet.

Fatty Diets Equals Rotund, Unhealthy You!

A diet rich in fatty foods produces about what you would  expect, a rotund you. There are some simple steps, however, that any person can take to lower the fat in his/her diet.

• Replace all "drinking" milk with skim milk to lower fat (2% milk is acually 35% fat, it is 2% only by weight) or, better yet,  use soy or grain milks.
• Replace all "cooking" milk with soy or rice "milk."
• Replace all cheese with low fat (5 fat grams or less per ounce), nonfat cheese, or vegetable cheese. It is best to learn to cook and eat without cheese.
• Eliminate eggs from your diet. Per egg in baked goods:  1/2 banana or 1 heaping tablesoon cornstarch plus 2 tablespoons water. Per egg to bind in other foods: tomato paste, rolled oats, mashed potato, moistened bread crumbs.
• Forget fried forever! Bake or broil for the new nonfat you.
• Learn to read labels. Look for hydrogenated  or partially hydrogenated fat in the ingredients.
• Learn to count fat grams. You will have to estimate hydrogenated fat grams as they are rarely given on a label. Estimate on the high side! Tip: Margerine is one of your main sources of hydrogenated fats.
• Learn to replace margerine and butter in all instances. Or learn to do without.
• Use crepes instead of tortillas in Mexican dishes.
• Use olive oil or canola oil. A "dab" of oil spread with a paper towel is a good way to brown or sauté. Or sauté in vegetable broth, even water.
• Avoid bacon, sausage, liver, and luncheon meats. Fat content is too high! Substitute turkey, chicken, or fish whenever possible.
• If you must eat red meat, trim it and eat sparingly; once a month is enough.
• Learn to use meat sparingly, more as a seasoning than as a main part of the meal.
• Be very careful when eating out. If you eat out more than once or twice a week, stay with vegatable dishes in restaurants, minus milk and cheese, of course

In order to lose weight, try eating between 15-20% fat. Choose a percentage you can live with for a long period of time. The kind of fat you eat is of great importance, too. Limit saturated and hydrogenated fat combined to no more than 10 %, but preferably 8% of your diet.

Your goal is to change your eating habits permanently. One lady said she aimed for 10% to 12% fat content on a day-to-day diet. Then a sinful and delicious splurge or two made a week's fat average about 18 to 20% of her diet.

How do you know how much fat you are eating? You do your math.

First choose the number of calories per day and the percentage of your diet that will be fat. Let's say you choose a diet of 20% fat and 1800 calories per day

Convert the fat as follows:
20% of 1800 = 360 fat calories.
There are 9 calories in one gram of fat.
360 divided by 9 = 40 grams of fat.
40 is the maximum number of fat grams that you can eat per day. But only 8% of your fat should be in saturated or hydrogenated fat. So 8% of 1800 is 144 calories divided by 9 equals 16 calories per day.

You choose a diet of 20% fat and 2200 calories per day.
20% of 2200 = 440 fat calories divided by 9 = 49 grams of fat maximum per day. 8% of 2000 is 160 divided by 9 is 18 calories per day maximum for hydrogenated and saturated fats combined.

When you read the back of the package, pay attention to serving sizes. If the label says it has only four fat grams per serving but has 10 servings total in the package, it would be wise not to eat the whole package.

You don't need to worry about eating too little fat. Adults only need 2% fat content in their diet. However, you do need the right kind of fats--see Right Fats vs. Wrong Fats.

Children need about 30% fat in their diets. Don't put your child on a low fat diet unless your doctor recommends this. This does not mean children should eat a diet high in saturated and hydrogenated fats. Instead, give them generous portions of legumes, nuts, and seeds for healthy fat consumption.

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The goal of CyberParent is to bring you true, correct, and up-to-date nutritional information that is not influenced by the financial considerations of advertising and advertisers. The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors. They are not medical advice and do not necessarily express the position of CyberParent. Please consult your medical professional.