Q: I have been on a low-fat diet for six months and have lost 78 pounds (down from 325). I eat seafood, beans, grains, fruit and vegetables, but no meat. I consume about 8 grams of fat per day and about 2,000 calories. Is this ratio healthy? I worry that I am not eating enough fat.
A: Eating a low-fat diet in a fast-paced world is difficult, so kudos for your low-fat diet choices and weight loss. Our bodies require fat to function properly; but be sure you choose monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats and even those in moderation.
Olive and canola oils are best for cooking, but corn oil, cottonseed oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil and soybean oils are also good selections. Additionally, nuts, avocados, olives, salmon, trout and herring are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which help to promote heart health.
Total fat intake should be 30 percent of the daily value; however, less than 10 percent of that should be from saturated fats. Saturated fats, or the "bad" fats, are coconut oil, butter, beef fat, chicken fat, pork fat, stick margarine and shortening. Oils and solid fats contain less than 120 calories per tablespoon. Recommendations are no more than six teaspoons a day for women 19-30, five teaspoons for women 31 and older; seven teaspoons for men 19-30 and six for men 31 and older.
-- Emily Maddux, clinical dietitian, Memorial Health Care System
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