Fat-Restricted Diet
Low-Fat Diet (50 grams)
What Is a Fat-Restricted Diet?
A fat-restricted diet limits the amount of fat you can consume each day.
Why Should I Follow a Fat-Restricted Diet?
This diet may be prescribed for certain conditions that make it difficult for the body to digest fat, such as chronic pancreatitis and gallbladder disease. Following a fat-restricted diet will minimize the unpleasant side effects of fat malabsorption, such as diarrhea , gas, and cramping.
Fat-Restricted Diet Basics
A fat-restricted diet typically limits fat intake to 50 grams per day. Fat contains nine calories per gram. So, if you need 2,000 calories per day, this means only about 22% of those calories can be from fat. The rest should be from carbohydrate or protein.
For most people, it is possible to meet all nutrient requirements on this diet. But, depending on how long you follow it and how much fat you can digest, a supplement may be recommended. Vitamins A , D , E , and K are fat soluble, which means they need fat to be absorbed. Ask your doctor or a registered dietitian about supplementing with vitamins.
Eating Guide for a Fat-Restricted Diet
The following guide is broken down into categories based on the MyPyramid recommendations for healthy eating. It is recommended that you work with a registered dietitian to determine how many servings of each category you should eat. Here are some general recommendations:
- The base of your diet should be composed of grains, vegetables, and fruit. Strive to eat foods from these three categories at each meal.
- Limit your intake of meat, fish, poultry, and eggs to 6 ounces per day.
- Consume no more than 3 teaspoons of fat per day (eg, vegetable oils, butter, and margarine).
- Enjoy low-fat or fat-free sweets or snack foods in moderation.
- If you enjoy healthy fats (eg, nuts, olives, and avocados), ask your doctor or dietitian about how you can add these foods into your diet. Since these foods have a lot of fat, they need to be added to your day's intake of fat.
Food Category | Foods Recommended | Foods to Avoid |
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Grains |
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Vegetables |
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Fruit |
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Milk |
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Meat and Beans |
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Oils |
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Fats and Sweets (in moderation) |
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Beverages |
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Other |
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Suggestions on Eating a Fat-Restricted Diet
- Look for the following key phrases on food labels: low-fat, nonfat, and fat-free.
- Choose foods that contain less than 3 grams of fat per serving. Be sure to eat only one serving.
- Avoid fried and sautéed foods. Use low-fat cooking methods, such as baking, roasting, broiling, poaching, grilling, boiling, or steaming.
- Select lean cuts of meat, such as loin and round. Trim visible fat before cooking.
- Eat small frequent meals, rather than two or three large meals. This will make it easier for your body to digest any fat that you consume.
- Work with a registered dietitian to come up with an individualized diet plan.
RESOURCES:
American Dietetic Association
http://www.eatright.org/
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/
CANADIAN RESOURCES:
Canadian Association of Gastroenterology
http://www.cag-acg.org/default.aspx/
Dietitians of Canada
http://www.dietitians.ca/
References:
Nutrition care manual. American Dietetic Association website. Available at: http://nutritioncaremanual.org/auth.cfm?p=%2Findex.cfm%3F. Accessed January 3, 2009.
Restricted fat diet. Ohio State University Medical Center website. Available at: http://medicalcenter.osu.edu/pdfs/PatientEd/Materials/PDFDocs/nut-diet/nut-other/restrict.pdf . Accessed April 16, 2007.
Steps to a healthier you. US Department of Agriculture website. Available at: http://www.mypyramid.gov/. Accessed January 3, 2010.
Last reviewed January 2010 by Maria Adams, MS, MPH, RD
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Copyright © 2007 EBSCO Publishing All rights reserved.