Low Calorie Fat Free Recipes

Written by Sky Taylor, Diet Bites

Recipes that are low in caloric content as well as dietary fat can assist with healthy weight loss results...

 

Keep in mind that 'no fat' in the diet can be life threatening as the body requires fat to properly function. Fat free recipes generally taste bland, lacking flavor due to the lack of fat.

Dietary Fat is Contained in Almost All Natural Foods

Even raw vegetables such as carrots, cabbage, eggplant, lettuce and greens contain traces of fat. We've all heard of vegetable oil, right? Let's review the nutritional data for fat content in raw vegetables:

Carrots: 1 large contains 0.01 total lipid fat grams
Potato: 1 large that is 3 to 4 inches in diameter contains 0.33 total lipid fat grams
Lima Beans: 1 cup in their raw state form contain 1.34 total lipid fat grams
Artichoke, Golden Globe: 1 large contains 0.24 total fat grams
Butternut Squash: 1 cup contains 0.14 total fat grams

Other foods in their natural state also contain fat, at times substantial. For example, the California Avocado: 1 fruit without the skin or the seed contains 20.96 total fat grams. As with most natural food sources the dietary fat content can be deceptive as we must look deeper into the nutrition facts.

While almost 21 fat grams are contained in the California Avocado, we need to find out which types of fat are connected to the data: Saturated, Monounsaturated, Polyunsaturated and Trans. As well delve deeper into the nutrition data, we quickly see that most of the fat contained in this specimen is derived from the healthier sources of fat. Saturated fat content is not quite three grams with monounsaturated at 13.33 and polyunsaturated at 2.50. There are no Trans fat grams.

Fat Free Recipes, Including Healthier Options for Weight Loss Rather Than Restricting Fat to Unsafe Consumption Levels

In reviewing the data and facts noted above, we see that a recipe which is totally void of fat is quite impossible. Even the 'non-fat' products still contain some level of fat content. For example, non-fat yogurt contains about 0.50 fat grams per eight ounces.

Mustard is generally considered fat free yet it contains 0.20 grams of lipid fat per tiny packet. Nonfat milk contains almost a gram of fat per cup (eight ounces).

What about hard candy? Basically, it's comprised of cooked sugars. However, hard candies also harbor fat. A tiny disc of butterscotch hard candy contains almost a gram of total dietary fat with more than half the amount derived in the form of saturated fat.

Simply put, even those foods which are labeled 'non-fat' or 'fat free' really aren't. However, they get away with stating such on commercial packages because they are below a certain limit of fat content which allows them by law to claim such on the product packaging.

What is a Fat Free Diet?

Now that we've learned that no diet on earth is actually totally 'fat free', just what is the definition of a Fat Free Diet Plan? It's a daily diet where non-fat and fat-free labeled products are often on the menu, as well as fresh fruit and vegetables. Often beans or extra lean animal proteins are included in the menu.

Foods which are generally excluded include: cheese, gravy, sauces, desserts, all dairy products which are not labeled as fat free, eggs, cooking and salad oils, including any fried foods in particular.

There are very few foods on our good Earth which are totally free and devoid of fat. Sugar, honey and water are all fat free. But a diet containing only sugar and honey would be quite silly.

Tips For Limiting Fat in the Daily Diet

Rather than opting for a fat free diet as defined in the above paragraph, we recommend the following:

- rather than that pat of butter or serving of margarine, either use half OR the reduced fat varieties
- remove skin & visible fat from beef, pork, lamb & poultry
- broth based soups tend to contain less fat than cream based soups
- limit cheese and opt for the skim varieties
- switch from whole dairy products to skim
- rather than oiling a pan for non-sticking purposes while cooking, opt for cooking spray

By using the above tips, your hair, nails and skin will say 'thank you' as you'll be limiting sources of fat in a smart way - not totally cremating it from your daily diet which is not what nature intended. If that were the case, then vegetables, fruits, nuts and all natural foods would have been created fat-free, right?

To create low fat recipes, substitute the following for oil in recipes:

- mashed bananas
- dried fruits
- prunes, dates, raisins - both dark & golden
- apple butter
- applesauce

Fat Free Recipe as Based Upon Our Definition Above

You will need a mix of the following fresh vegetables and be sure to slice them as thin as possible after washing and drying them. You can use any variety of the fresh foods. For example, for the mushrooms - you can use Shataki, white button, Portabella and so forth.

Recipe Ingredients: carrots, mushrooms, bell pepper, onion, broccoli florets and drained black beans. Steam in the microwave and add your favorite fat free sauce or salad dressing.

In Summary

Limiting dietary fat in the daily diet is wise unless it becomes too restricted, thus robbing the body of the essential oils that it requires for optimum health.

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