Avoiding Added Vegetable Oils and Other High-Fat Foods
Although most vegetable oils are in some ways healthier than animal fats, you will still want to keep them to a minimum. All fats and oils are highly concentrated in calories. A gram of any fat or oil contains nine calories, compared to only four calories for a gram of carbohydrate. Here are some tips for cooking without oils:
- Cook with vegetable broth or water
- Steam instead of fry
- Use nonstick cooking spray
- Top salads with nonfat dressings
- Use spices instead of added oils to flavor foods.
- Use mustard instead of mayonnaise on sandwiches
- Use bean spreads, hummus, or jam instead of margarine
- Use applesauce in baked recipes
- Read package labels. It is best if a serving of food has only about two grams of fat.
A diet that eliminates added oils is not a no-fat diet. There are traces of vegetable oils in vegetables, beans, whole grains, and fruits; these are necessary for health.
Avoid Foods Fried in Oil
This means avoiding French fries and onion rings.
Avoid fatty or oily toppings: Typical salad dressings are out. Acceptable toppings include nonfat dressings, lemon juice, or apple cider vinegar.
Avoid Avocados, Olives, and Peanut Butter
Source: Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine 2014.