Low fat/calorie
This is a traditional approach to weight loss as it is based on the Eatwell guide with a focus on reducing fat intake. Fat contains more calories than any other nutrient so by reducing your fat intake, you will reduce your calorie intake too.
One pound of fat contains 3,500 calories so cutting your calorie intake by 500 calories per day on average, should see you lose 1 pound per week. While it might not seem like much, if you ate an extra 100 calories per day, by the end of the year you could gain 11lbs. Small changes make a huge difference in the long term.
As a guide, active men need around 2,500kcal a day to maintain healthy body weight and active women need around 2,000kcal a day:
Reducing your intake of fat can also help lower your cholesterol levels, which if increased, can be a risk factor for developing heart disease.
The role of fat in our diet
A small amount of fat is essential as it provides us with energy and helps with the absorption of vitamins A, D, E and K. Fat contains essential fatty acids such as omega 3 which are important for heart and brain health. Excess fat that is not used by your body is converted into fat stores.
Type of Fat
Saturated
Swap these for unsaturated fats. Eating too much saturated fat increases the amount of cholesterol in your blood.
Trans
Avoid where possible. They can increase cholesterol in your blood. Foods with hydrogenated oils or fats in them likely contain trans fats.
Monounsaturated
Have these in small amounts. They can help maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
Unsaturated
Have it in small amounts. Polyunsaturated fats help to maintain healthy cholesterol levels and are a source of essential fatty acids.
Found in
Processed meats like sausages, ham, burgers and fatty meat; hard cheese such as cheddar; whole milk and cream; butter, lard, ghee, suet, palm & coconut oil
Fried foods, takeaways, hard margarine, snacks like biscuits, cakes or pastries
Avocado, olives, olive oil, rapeseed oil, almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, peanuts, pistachios and spreads made from these nuts
Oily fish, corn oil, sesame oil, soya oil and spreads made from these oils, flaxseed, pine nuts, sesame seeds and walnuts
What does a low-fat diet involve?
A low-fat diet will typically include foods such as:
Click below to find out more about each:
These release their energy slowly and are an important source of fibre, vitamins and minerals.
A lean source of protein, including white fish such as haddock or cod and oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines contains omega 3 fatty acids which are important for heart health.
Try to eat at least 5 portions a day. They are full of vitamins, minerals and fibre which will keep you feeling fuller for longer.
Choose meats such as skinless chicken and turkey. They are low in fat and high in protein which is important for the growth and repair of tissues and muscles in the body.
These are low in fat and a good plant source of protein as well as fibre, vitamins and minerals.
Opt for low-fat varieties of yoghurt, cheese and milk, or you could swap cow’s milk for nut milk.
What foods should I avoid or reduce?
If you want to follow a low-fat diet, then you should avoid foods such as:
Click below to find out more about each:
Foods that contain animal fats such as butter, cheese, cream, dripping, ghee and lard should be avoided on a low-fat diet as they are high in saturated fat.
Processed meat such as bacon and sausages contain a lot of saturated fat. Stick to lean meats and cut any visible fats off meat.
Processed foods are defined as any food that has been altered in some way during preparation. These include cakes, pastries, biscuits, fast food, pies, crisps and convenience foods. They are generally high in calories due to the amount of saturated fat and added sugar.
Foods that have been deep-fried such as fish and chips, chicken strips or tempura are very high in calories and saturated and trans fats.
Tips to reduce your fat intake
We’ve included some tips below on how you can reduce your fat intake when cooking at home or when you eat out:
At home:
- Measure oil with a teaspoon to control the amount you use.
- Trim any visible fat from meat and remove skin off poultry.
- Try using non-stick frying pan or wok so you don’t need to use any oil.
- Air fryers use significantly less oil than deep-frying.
- Use reduced-fat spreads based on olive or sunflower oils instead of butter.
- Replace beef mince with turkey or Quorn.
Eating out
- Ask for any dressings or sauces on the side so you can control how much you use.
- Avoid anything described as ‘fried, sauteed, roasted or crispy’ as it usually means they have been fried in oil.
- Choose tomato-based sauces over creamy or cheesy sauces.
- Look at the menu online beforehand so you can plan what to eat ahead of time.
- For coffee, swap whole milk for skimmed milk.
To download a low-fat/low-calorie guide click here.
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