Low Fat Recipes: Cookbooks

Low Fat Recipes: Cookbooks

Cutting the fat is pretty much the principle in and behind low fat cooking, recipes and cookbooks. Fat in terms of nutritional value and content, has more than double the calories of carbohydrates and protein.  If you move away from or cut the fat so to speak, you are in fact giving yourself more balanced nutrition, more choices and options to fill that daily calorie count. Your diet does not have to be filled to the brim with fats to be tasty either.   There are many low fat alternatives and recipes that will be good, if not better for your health all-round.

Most of the fatty, fried, fast-convenient type, even processed foods, junk and fast food included, contain a high concentration of saturated fats. These will typically increase your risk and levels of bad cholesterol.  This in turn can lead to immensely unhealthy eating habits and even health, heart problems down the line, as you age.

There are numerous way that you can take advantage of reducing fat, going the low-fat recipe and cookbook route. Always look for lower-fat equivalents for many of the foods you eat, prepare and even products, raw materials and ingredients that you buy.

You can make a smart substitute for almost all the high-fat foods in your cart, cupboards, fridge, plate and oven! Here is how. Take milk, yoghurt, cottage cheese, cream cheese, that have percentage ratings on them. These range between 0%-4%. Calorie differences are great.

For 4% fat or whole milk, you are looking at 150 calories per 8 oz. serving/portion
2% (reduced fat), the calories are 130, for 1% (low-fat) it is only 110 and for non-fat or skim milk (0% fat), 90 calories in same-size serving.

You can also not only reduce the fat, but eliminate it, through a strategy of substitution of certain foods for others. Sour cream per tablespoon holds 30 calories, while plain, low-fat yoghurt sports only 9 calories.  Mayonnaise, ketchup and mustard (100, 16 and 5 calories respectively). Dressings, toppings and sauces, additional things you plop onto or add to food (yes even salad dressings!) add calories (and pounds!). There are many other natural ways to flavor food with herbs, seasonings and lemon juice for example. Leaner cuts of fish and meat are better for you, the lighter the meat color, the lower the fat content. Opt for cod, flounder and other white fish, over fatty, oily fish. Cut off visible fats from foods prior to preparing and serving it.