foodfitness: healthy eating, active lifestyle: Healthy Lifestyle Tips > Tip 5

Foodfitness - Practical advice on healthy eating and an active lifestyle

	Check out more lower fat options





		Read food labels to keep track of your fat intake Compare similar foods and choose those with fewer grams of fat Select more 'low fat' foods and reduced fat alternatives Try skimmed or semi-skimmed milk Find alternatives to frying foods Grill, bake or microwave foods, without adding fat Drain off fat from roast meats Cut the visible fat off meats, or select leaner cuts Limit the amount of fat (such as butter, margarine or cream) you add to foods Eat bolied, mashed or jacket potatoes instead of chips or roast sometimes

Fat has twice as many calories as carbohydrate and protein - eating too much of it can easily lead to weight gain. But, some fat in the diet is essential for health.

Cutting down on fat doesn't have to mean totally changing your diet. Most people can do it by making a few small changes to everyday meals. Compare a Dolittle's meal with an Activater's meal - they are basically the same foods, but the fat content is quite different.

Dolittle's Meal		Activater's Meal
Rump steak, grilled (with fat)	18.8	Rump steak, grilled (without fat)	9.3
Chips	15.0	Baked (jacket) potato	0.4
		2 tsp low fat spread	4.5
Peas (boiled)	0.3	Peas (boiled)	0.3
Mushrooms (fried)	8.1	Mushrooms (grilled)	0.2
Yogurt (creamy)	6.0	Yogurt (low fat)	1.1
Total fat (grams)	48.2	Total fat (grams)	15.8
Total energy (kcal)	941	Total Energy (kcal)	650

As many of us eat too much fat, the chances are that if you make more lower fat choices you are helping your health. But remember: children under five should not follow a low fat diet. At that age they need more energy from fat for healthy growth and development.