How to Cook Low Fat Foods

by Allison Boelcke

Overview

According to the American Heart Association, cutting back on saturated fats can reduce the risk of heart disease. Cooking low-fat foods doesn't mean you have to give up flavor or throw out all your old recipes. There are relatively simple changes you can make to cooking methods and ingredients that will reduce fat while also ensuring you aren't stuck eating flavorless food or leafing through tons of new recipes. Cooking low-fat foods can become a healthy new habit with ease.

Step 1

Replace solid fats, such as butter or shortening, with liquid oils like olive, canola or sunflower when cooking on the stove top. According to the American Heart Association, pan frying only requires a minimal amount of oil, about two teaspoons.
Step 2

Use spices or herbs to add flavor to foods rather than relying on saturated fats. Use dill, oregano, parsley, chives and basil to flavor lean meats and vegetables instead of butter or excess salt.
Step 3

Use your oven to roast, bake or broil meats and seafood. Place meat on a rack before cooking in the oven or broiler to allow the fat to drip off instead of being absorbed.
Step 4

Swap out full-fat ingredients in recipes with low-fat substitutions. According to the National Institutes of Health, two egg whites can be used instead of one egg, and recipes requiring cream can be substituted with equal parts skim milk and evaporated milk to reduce fat content.
Step 5

Allow soups, stews, sauces or gravies to cool before serving, so the fat will solidify on the top. Use a spoon to scoop the fat off and discard it.

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Liquid oil (such as olive oil, canola oil or sunflower) Spices and herbs (such as dill, oregano, parsley, chives or basil) Egg whites Milk (skim and evaporated) Vegetables Lean meat
Liquid oil (such as olive oil, canola oil or sunflower)
Spices and herbs (such as dill, oregano, parsley, chives or basil)
Egg whites
Milk (skim and evaporated)
Vegetables
Lean meat
To make sure you're buying lean meat for low-fat cooking, look for raw meats that don't have much visible marbled fat.
To make sure you're buying lean meat for low-fat cooking, look for raw meats that don't have much visible marbled fat.

Overview