Low Fat Diet

Purpose of Low Fat Diets

For a regular healthy diet, it is recommended that of the total calories eaten, no more than 30% should come from fat. However, certain diseases and medical conditions can make it difficult for the body to tolerate even that much fat, so a low-fat diet may help people with these conditions.

Gallbladder Disease

Bile secreted from the gallbladder helps the body break down and absorb fats. When gallstones or gallbladder diseases are present, a low-fat diet is often used to prevent complications.

Delayed stomach emptying (Gastroparesis)

Is a condition in which the stomach empties food into the intestine too slowly. This can cause bloating, nausea, and even vomiting. Normally, fat in foods delays stomach emptying, so fats make gastroparesis worse.

Diarrhea

Can be caused by many conditions. When it occurs, it can be aggravated by eating fatty foods.

Malabsorption of nutrients

Absorption is the transfer of nutrients into the bloodstream from the intestine. In some diseases of the pancreas and small intestine, patients have trouble absorbing nutrients from the diet, including fat. A low-fat diet may help to control symptoms until the cause of malabsorption can be diagnosed.

Fatty Liver

For a number of reasons, fat may accumulate in the liver. Fat is not normally stored in the liver, and in some cases this can cause damage to the liver. A low fat diet and weight reduction may be helpful.

A low Fat Diet is recommended in the treatment of gall bladder disease in which dietary fat may cause painful gall bladder contraction during the secretion of bile. It is also recommended in the treatment of pancreatic or biliary tract disease in which fat malabsorption and steatorrhea may occur, secondary to reduced lipase secretion.

Allowed Foods

Beverages

Skim milk, coffee, tea, carbonated drinks, fruit juices.

Breads and Cereals

All kinds.

Desserts

Jello, sherbet, fruit whips made without cream, angel food cake, rice and tapioca puddings made with skimmed milk.

Fruits

All fruits

Eggs

Three allowed per week, cooked any way but fried.

Fats

Three teaspoons butter or margarine a day.

Meats

Lean meat such as beef, lamb, liver, lean fish, chicken (which is baked, broiled or roasted without fat added).

Cheese

Dry or low-fat cottage cheese.

Potato or Substitute

Potatoes, rice, macaroni, noodles, spaghetti, all prepared without fat.

Soup

Bouillon or broth without fat added.

Sweets

Jam, jelly, sugar, sugar candies without nuts or chocolate.

Vegetables

All kinds as tolerated.

Not Allowed

Beverages

Whole milk, cream, evaporated and condensed milk.

Breads and Cereals

Fried bread, donuts, pancakes, waffles, rich rolls.

Desserts

Ice cream, pies, rich cakes, cookies, pastries.

Fruits

Avocados.

Eggs

Fried Eggs

Fats

Salad and cooking oils, mayonnaise.

Meats

Fried meats, bacon, ham, pork, goose, duck, fatty fish, fish canned in oil, cold cuts.

Cheese

All other cheeses, nachos.

Potato or Substitute

Fried potatoes, potato chips, corn chips.