 Be Heart Smart!
Eat Foods Lower in
Saturated Fat and Cholesterol
National Institutes of Health
National Heart,
Lung, and Blood Institute
And Office of Research on Minority Health
Contents
- Fat in your food
- Why should you be concerned about
saturated fat?
- Where is saturated fat
found?
- Why should you be concerned about
cholesterol?
- Where is cholesterol found?
- Limit your cholesterol
- Traditional favorite cuts of
meats
- Cut back on saturated fat and
cholesterol
Food plays a big part in the lives of most African
Americans. Good food and celebrations go hand in hand. Yet,the traditional ways
of frying foods and using fats for seasoning can increase your risk for clogged
arteries and heart disease. Choose foods lower in saturated fat and cholesterol
to reduce your risk. Hold on to tradition,but make a few changes to eat in a
heart-healthy way.
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Fat in your food
The two main types of fat found in food are saturated
and unsaturated. Most foods have a mix of both. Together,the two are called
total fat.
Why should you be concerned
about saturated fat?
Saturated fat raises blood cholesterol the most. Over
time,this extra cholesterol can clog your arteries. You are then at risk for
having a heart attack or stroke.
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Where is saturated fat
found?
Saturated fat is found mostly in foods that come from
animals. These include:
- fatty cuts of meat
- poultry with skin
- whole and 2% milk
- butter
- cheese
- lard
A high content of saturated fat can be found
in some foods that come from plants such as:
- palm kernel oil
- palm oil
- coconut oil
- cocoa butter
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Why should you be concerned
about cholesterol?
Your body makes all the cholesterol you need. Eating
foods high in saturated fat can raise your blood cholesterol levels. The higher
your blood cholesterol,the greater your risk for heart disease. Too much
cholesterol can lead to clogged arteries. You are then at risk for having a
heart attack,a stroke,or poor circulation.
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Where is cholesterol
found?
Cholesterol is found only in foods that come from
animals. Foods very high in cholesterol include:
- Egg yolks
- Organ meats (Liver, kidney, and brains are
especially high in cholesterol.)
There is no cholesterol in plant foods like fruits,
vegetables, beans, and grains.
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Limit your cholesterol
If you are healthy, you should average no more than
300 milligrams of cholesterol per day. People who have high blood cholesterol
or a heart problem may have to eat less. The yolk of one large egg provides
about 214 milligrams of cholesterol. Aim for no more than four egg yolks each
week. This includes egg yolks in baked goods and processed foods. Egg whites
contain no cholesterol.
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Traditional favorite cuts of
meats
Choose MORE often
- Pork
- Ears
- Neckbone
- Feet
- Ham hocks
- Beef
- Tripe Opossum
Choose LESS often
- Pork
- Brains (are low in fat but high in cholesterol)
- Hogmaws
- Tongue
- Tail
- Vienna sausage
- Ribs
- Chitterlings
- Beef
- Oxtail
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Cut back on saturated fat and
cholesterol
Try some of these new ways of cooking and
shopping.
New ways for favorite recipes:
- For biscuits--Use vegetable oil
instead of lard or butter and skim milk or 1 percent buttermilk instead of
regular milk.
- For macaroni and cheese--Use
low-fat cheese and 1 percent or skim milk.
- For greens--Use skin-free smoked
turkey, liquid smoke, fat-free bacon bits, or low-fat bacon instead of fatty
meats.
- For gravies or sauces--Skim the
fat off pan drippings. For cream or white sauces, use skim milk and soft tub or
liquid margarine.
- For dressings or stuffing--Add
broth or skimmed fat drippings instead of lard or butter. Use herbs and spices
for added flavor.
- For sweet potato pie--Mash sweet
potato with orange juice concentrate, nutmeg, vanilla, cinnamon, and only one
egg. Leave out the butter.
- For cakes, cookies, quick breads, and
pancakes--Use egg whites or egg substitute instead of whole eggs. Two
egg whites can be substituted in many recipes for one whole egg. Use applesauce
instead of some of the fat.
Healthy ways of cooking:
- Bake, steam, roast, broil, stew, or boil instead of
frying. This helps remove fat. Try these quick tips:
- For crispy fish: roll in cornmeal and bake.
- For crispy chicken: remove the skin; dip in
skim milk mixed with herbs and spices; roll in bread crumbs, cornflakes, or
potato flakes; and bake.
- Take off poultry skin before eating.
- Use a nonstick pan with vegetable cooking oil spray
or a small amount of liquid vegetable oil instead of lard, butter, shortening,
or other fats that are solid at room temperature.
- Trim visible fat before you cook meats.
- Chill meat and poultry broth until fat becomes
solid. Skim off fat before using the broth. Use skimmed broth to cook greens
instead of fatback, hog jowls, or salt pork.
Healthy shopping tips:
- Choose chicken breast or drumstick instead of the
wing and thigh.
- Select skim milk or 1 percent instead of 2 percent
or whole milk (sweet).
- Buy lean cuts of meat such as round, sirloin, and
loin.
- Buy more vegetables, fruits, and grains.
- Read nutrition labels on food packages.
Let the food label help you choose foods lower in
saturated fat and cholesterol:
When you select a food, reading the food label can
help you view its saturated fat and cholesterol levels. At first, reading
labels may be confusing, but the more you do it, the easier it will become.
Soon you will be able to easily make food choices for a healthy heart.
Size up your food.
Compare the amounts you eat to the serving size
given. If you eat 2 cups and the serving size is 1 cup, you have to double the
amounts listed.
Check it out!
- Here are the amounts of fat, saturated fat, and
cholesterol.
- Use the Percent Daily Value to compare the amounts
of total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol among brands. Choose those that
have lower values. One serving of this food contains about 20 percent of the
Daily Value for total fat, which is about one-fifth of the amount of total fat
you should have for the entire day.
Nutrition
Facts
Serving Size: 1 cup (228 g)
Serving Per Package
2 |
Amount Per
Serving
Calories 260
Calories from fat 120 |
| |
% Daily
Value* |
| Total Fat 13g |
20% |
| Saturated Fat 5g |
25% |
| Cholesterol 30mg
|
10% |
| Sodium 600mg |
28% |
| Total Carbohydrate
31g |
10% |
| Dietary Fiber 0g |
0% |
| Sugars 5g |
|
| Protein 5g |
|
| Vitamin A 4% ·
Vitamin C 2% |
| Calcium 15% ·
Iron 4% |
* Percent Daily Values are based
on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on
your calorie needs:
|
| |
Calories: |
2,000 |
2,500 |
| Total Fat |
Less than |
65g |
80g |
| Sat Fat |
Less than |
20g |
25g |
| Cholesterol |
Less than |
300mg |
300mg |
| Sodium |
Less than |
2,400mg |
2,400mg |
| Total Carbohydrate |
|
300g |
375g |
| Dietary Fiber |
|
25g |
30g |
Calories per gram:
Fat 9
· Carbohydrate 4 · Protein 4 |
Check how you will try to eat less
saturated fat and cholesterol.
|
 |
Use skim milk or l percent milk in your cereal or
coffee. |
|
Prepare macaroni and cheese with skim milk and
low-fat cheese. |
|
Bake, roast, or broil chicken or fish instead of
frying. |
|
Cook greens with a skin-free turkey leg instead
of fatty meats like bacon and fatback. |
|
Read food labels when you shop to check for total
fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol. |
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Contents]
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service National Institutes of Health
National Heart,
Lung, and Blood Institute
NIH Publication No. 97-4064
September 1997
|
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