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Watch out for hidden fat
Most of us need to reduce our total fat intake especially if we are overweight or have concern for heart disease. When consuming fats or oils it is more healthy to choose mono or polyunsaturated oils which will help to protect against heart disease and give essential fatty acids. Watch for hidden fat in cooking. Often the amount of oil or butter suggested in recipes to stir- fry onions and garlic can be reduced with the addition of water. Remove fat from meat and choose cuts that are visible lean. Eat more fish.
What kind of fat?
Fat is fat, be it butter, table margarine or oil. Oil is more concentrated and so has slightly higher kilojoules. Some reduced fat margarines are lower in fat and therefore kilojoules as they incorporate some milk, yoghurt or water.
Fat | Weight | Quantity | Kilojoules | Calories | Fat |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Butter | 5 grams | 1 teaspoon | 150 | 36 | 4 grams |
Regular margarine | 5 grams | 1 teaspoon | 150 | 36 | 4 grams |
Mono or polyun-saturated marg. | 5 grams | 1 teaspoon | 150 | 36 | 4 grams |
Low fat margarine | 5 grams | 1 teaspoon | 75- 120 | 18-29 | 2 -3 grams |
Oil, vegetable | 5 grams | 1 teaspoon | 185 | 44 | 5 grams |
Oil, light olive | 5 grams | 1 teaspoon | 185 | 44 | 5 grams |
To reduce the total fat intake, spray or brush oil on the pan rather than pour from a bottle. Try not to add any fat to vegetables. Flavour with herbs, spices, lemon and garlic instead. Lightly spread butter or margarine on bread or use Hommos, ricotta cheese, relish or low fat mayonnaise instead.
Cholesterol
If you do not need to lose weight but have a high cholesterol, you need to reduce your saturated fat intake.
Saturated fat from animals and coconut or palm oil is not healthy for the heart and arteries. You should be reducing butter, lard, coconut and palm oil, fatty meats, take away foods, commercial cakes and biscuits and full fat dairy products.
It will be more healthy to use a mono or polyunsaturated oil or margarine based on canola grape seed, olive or safflower oil. The fat and kilojoules will be the same but the saturated fat will be much reduced.
Fatty Meats
Remove any visible fat from around the meat. Be aware that marbling is additional fat. Leg cuts are leaner than those from the rib or shoulder. Buy lean cuts eg topside, round, rump and shank that come from the active part of the animal. Check with your butcher if you need additional information.
Lean cuts are a bit more expensive but there is less wastage with skin, fat and bone.
Casserole dishes can be cooked, chilled and then all fat removed. This is not as good as starting with the lean product but is a good second best.
Luncheon Meats
Luncheon meats such as polony, salami and mortadella are very high in fat. There is an excellent range of low fat hams and turkey products available that may be substituted in cooking and sandwiches. Shaved meats are particularly nice in sandwiches and rolls.
Chicken
You may cook the chicken with the skin on, but it is wise to remove it before serving. If you are using chicken in a casserole, then chicken breasts or thighs without skin are preferred.
Sometimes steaming or microwaving the chicken, skinning and chopping and then putting it into a stir fry or casserole is another ideal solution.
When time is short, buying a rotisserie chicken is helpful but remove skin and stuffing. People often say that the skin is the best part. It is also the unhealthy part as it will contribute to clogging up your arteries.
Fish
Try and eat two or three fish meals a week. White fleshed fish such as Barramundi, Kingfish , Perch, Schnapper or Cobbler or oily fish such as Sardines, Mackerel, Mullet, Salmon or Tuna are healthy choices. Grill, bake or poach fish rather than deep fat frying.
Choose Salmon or Tuna in spring water or brine rather than in oil. There are many salmon and tuna casserole dishes that are low in fat, economical and ideal for family eating. Pink Schnapper is still in season and is great for baking whole.
Fat content of meat, chicken and fish
Protein | Weight | Fat | Kilojoules | Calories |
---|---|---|---|---|
Lean cooked beef | 120 grams | 8 grams | 954 | 228 |
Lean plus fat cooked beef | 120 grams | 12 grams | 1109 | 265 |
Trimmed grilled lamb chops | 120 grams | 8 grams | 753 | 180 |
Fried lamb chops with fat | 120 grams | 17.3 grams | 1116 | 266 |
Roast chicken breast no skin | 120 grams | 6 grams | 804 | 192 |
Roasted chicken thigh with skin | 120 grams | 18 grams | 1205 | 288 |
Grilled or baked fish | 120 grams | 0.6 grams | 401 | 96 |
Pan-fried fish | 120 grams | 13.2 grams | 954 | 228 |
Deep fried fish | 120 grams | 21.6 grams | 1381 | 330 |
Chevups (raw) 2 sausages | 100 grams | 8.1 grams | 606 | 145 |
Regular thin sausages (raw) | 100 grams | 22 grams | 1090 | 260 |
Chicken Sausages (raw) average | 100 grams | 16 grams | 753 | 180 |
97% fat free lite ham or pastrami | 33 grams | 1 grams | 135 | 32 |
Salami | 33 grams | 8.3 grams | 414 | 99 |
Reference: Alan Borushek's Pocket Calorie & Fat Counter
A recipe to encourage fish consumption. This recipe using Barramundi is quick and easy for busy people. Substitute any white fleshed fish.
Recipes
Barramundi Salsa : Fish with a Mexican flavour.
Added to site on : Wednesday, 22 September 1999