Low-Fat Diet and Menu
The low-fat diet restricts fat intake to 40-60 grams (g) of fat/day by limiting high-fat food and beverage sources.
Intended use
The low-fat diet is intended for use by individuals who have maldigestion or malabsorption of fat, such as small bowel resection, pancreatic disease, gastroparesis, fatty liver, or gallstones. This version of the low-fat diet is not intended for individuals with heart disease (access the therapeutic lifestyle changes (TLC) diet at http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4764). It also is not an optimal approach for weight loss, because calorically dense, low-fat alternatives such as sugar are not restricted.
While this diet is nutritionally adequate according to the Recommended Dietary Allowances, individuals may require supplementation of fat-soluble vitamins, minerals, or high-calorie, low-fat supplements because of the nature of their disease. A registered dietitian (RD) is the nutrition authority who is able to best determine which version of a low-fat diet is optimal and whether vitamin, mineral, or additional calorie supplementation is needed based on your medical condition. To locate a RD go to www.eatright.org.
The Nutrition Facts panel lists the nutrition information about a product. If you are unsure if a food fits into the “eat more of these” or “avoid” column, look at the “Total Fat” grams, located near the top of the panel. Make sure you adjust your serving size to the portion size listed at the top of the label.
Labeling terms
| Term | Example | Definition |
| Fat free | Skim milk, salad dressing, and pudding | <0.5 g fat |
| Low fat | Low-fat cheese | ≤3 g fat |
| Extra lean | Extra-lean pork and beef | <5 g fat |
| Lean | Pork, beef, and B poultry | <10 g fat |
| Less or reduced | Less-fat or reduced-fat salad dressing | 25% less than the regular equivalent |
| Light or lite | Lite margarine or salad dressing | 50% less than the regular equivalent |
It is important to understand that while products that claim that they are lower in cholesterol, saturated fat, and transfat are healthier selections that may positively reduce the total fat content of a meal, this is not a direct indication that these foods are acceptable on a low-fat diet.
Low-fat diet by food groups
| Food Group | Eat More of These | Avoid These Foods |
| Dairy | · Skim or soy milk · ½% or 1% milk · Fat-free yogurt · Fat-free cheese | · 2% or whole milk · Cream · Eggnog · Milkshakes |
| Meat Limit 5-6 ounces (oz)/day Guide to portions: 3 oz=deck of cards 1 oz=one index finger | One serving equals: · 1 oz extra lean or lean meat or deli meat · 1 oz fish · 1 oz skinless poultry · Textured vegetable protein · ¼ cup (C) water-packed tuna or salmon · 1 egg · 1½ oz low-fat cheese · Note: Textured vegetable protein that contains <0.5 g fat/oz is considered fat free; use without restriction | · Bacon · Sausage · Luncheon meats · Hot dogs · Salami · Fish canned in oil · Fried meats · Convenience and fast-food meals · Heavily marbled meats · Regular cheese · Regular cream cheese |
| Fruit | · All are encouraged | |
| Vegetables | · All are encouraged | · No fried vegetables |
| *Grain 6-11 servings/day *Grain choices must contain <3 g fat/serving | One serving equals: · 1 slice whole-grain bread · ½ English muffin, bagel or bun · ½ C rice or pasta · ½ C hot cereal · ¾ C cold cereal · 1 oz fat-free crackers or pretzels · 3 C fat-free popcorn | · Stuffing · Regular chips · Regular crackers · Regular bars · Biscuits · Muffins · Doughnuts · Baked goods · Grilled, fried, or cheesy breads |
| Fat Limit three servings/day (includes fat added in cooking) Guide to portions: 1 tablespoon (Tbsp)=thumb tip | One serving equals: · 1 teaspoon (tsp) regular or 2 tsp lite butter, margarine, or oil · 1 Tbsp regular or 2 Tbsp lite mayonnaise, cream cheese, or salad dressing · ⅛ avocado · 2 tsp peanut butter · 10 peanuts · 8 olives | |
| Miscellaneous | · Fat-free hot chocolate · Carnation® Instant Breakfast® made with skim milk · Sugar · Jelly · Mustard · Ketchup · Sherbet · Jell-O® · Angel food cake · Pudding made with skim milk · Popsicles® | Discuss the use of alcohol, caffeine, and soda with your dietitian. · Ice cream · Cakes · Pies · Cookies · Regular cream-based soups |
Sample menu
| Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
| · 6 fluid oz (fl oz) orange juice · ¾ C Cheerios® · 8 fl oz skim milk · ½ banana · 1 scrambled egg · 1 slice toast · 1 egg · 1 tsp margarine · Jelly · Coffee or tea · Sugar | · Whole-grain sandwich with 2 oz fat-free deli meat, tomato, lettuce, onion, mustard, and fat-free mayonnaise · 1 C skim milk · 1 C broth-based soup · 1 apple or 1 C cut fruit · 1½ C mixed salad greens · 2 Tbsp lite salad dressing · Coffee or tea · Sugar | · 3 oz skinless, white meat chicken breast (baked) · 1 C skim milk · 1 piece corn on the cob · 1 C cooked vegetables · 1 whole-grain dinner roll · 1 tsp margarine · 1 C grapes or cut fruit · Coffee or tea · Sugar |
References
Andersson H, Isaksson B, S Sjögren B. Fat-reduced diet in the symptomatic treatment of small bowel disease: metabolic studies in patients with Crohn’s disease and in other patients subjected to ileal resection. Gut [serial online]. 1974;15:351-359. Available at:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1412920/. Accessed January 15, 2010.
MedlinePlus. Chronic pancreatitis. Available at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000221.htm. Accessed January 15, 2010.
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC). How is gastroparesis treated? Available at: http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gastroparesis/#treatment. Accessed January 15, 2010.
Online Personal Training & Video Boot Camp. Sample label for macaroni & cheese. Available at: http://onlinepersonaltrainingvideobootcamp.com/blog/uploaded/Blog%20Post%20Images/Nutrition/400px-US_Nutritional_Fact_Label_2.svg.png. Accessed January 15, 2010.
Contributed by Sheryl Lozicki, RD, MBA
Review Date 1/10
G-1239
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