Recipe Modifications for Low Cholesterol, Low Saturated Fat Diet
Lower the fat and cholesterol in your diet by making these easy ingredient swaps in your favorite meals and snacks.
By using the following substitutions, you can significantly lower the cholesterol and fat content of standard recipes.
| For this product: | Try this alternative: |
| Cheese | Low-fat cheeses (less than 3 grams of fat per ounce) part skim cheeses, fat-free cheeses |
| Creamed cottage cheese | Low-fat cottage cheese, nonfat cottage cheese |
| Mozzarella & ricotta cheese | Part-skim mozzarella and ricotta |
| Heavy cream | Evaporated skim milk |
| Whipped cream | Low-fat whipped topping |
| Sour cream | Fat-free sour cream, nonfat yogurt |
| Ice cream | Sherbet, Italian ices, fat-free ice cream, nonfat frozen yogurt |
| Whole milk | Low-fat milk (1 percent) or skim milk |
| Butter | Tub or squeeze margarines * |
| 1 cup solid shortening | 2/3 cup vegetable oil * |
| Buttering breads and vegetables | Olive or sesame oil used lightly, fat-free margarines or dressings |
| Salad dressings | Fat-free salad dressings |
| 1 egg | 2 egg whites, 1/4 cup egg substitute |
| Lunch meats | Those with less than 3 grams of fat per ounce. or turkey and chicken breast |
| Tuna packed in oil | Water-packed tuna |
| Self-basting turkey | Regular turkey, baste with fat-free bouillon |
| Red meat protein sources | Lean cuts such as sirloin, tenderloin and round or dried beans, split peas or lentils |
| Prime or choice grades of meat | Good or standard grades of meat |
| Organ meats | Avoid organ meats, choose lean cuts and moderate portions of meats, fish and poultry |
| Regular bacon | Canadian bacon or lean ham |
| Commercial gravies | Homemade gravies, skimmed off fat |
| Preparing gravies | Chill until fat sets and remove, dip a paper towel into warm gravy or use gravy skimmer |
| Cooking poultry | Remove skin |
| Cooking meats | Trim all visible fat from meat before cooking, cook on a rack, drain fat |
| Sautéing foods in fat | Sauté in nonstick skillet without oil or use skillet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray |
| Cooking vegetables in butter | Steam vegetable, flavor with herbs |
| 1 ounce bakers chocolate | 3 tablespoons cocoa powder and 1 tablespoon safflower oil |
| Chocolate cake | Angel food cake |
| Chocolate | Fat-free fudgesicles, nonfat hot cocoa mix, fat-free chocolate pudding |
| Pastries | Graham crackers, vanilla wafers |
| Biscuits, muffins, croissants | Hard rolls, pita, Italian or French bread, sandwich bread |
| Potato chips, corn chips | Pretzels, air-popped popcorn, baked chips |
| High fat crackers | Bread sticks, melba toast, soda, oyster or whole-grain crackers |
* This lowers SATURATED fat, but not TOTAL fat
Recommended reading
Cholesterol Content of Foods
Use these tables to understand the cholesterol content of foods, including dairy products and meats, so you can track your cholesterol intake.
Guidelines for a Low Cholesterol, Low Saturated Fat Diet
Get tips and food suggestions to help you follow a diet that is low in fat and cholesterol.
Guidelines for a Low Sodium Diet
The average American eats about 20 times the amount of salt the body needs. Learn how to cut down on salt and choose low-sodium alternatives.
10 Ways to Get the Most Out of Your UCSF Doctor Appointment
Whether it's a routine checkup or a visit for a complex issue, these 10 tips can help make your appointment as stress-free and helpful as possible.
UCSF Health medical specialists have reviewed this information. It is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor or other health care provider. We encourage you to discuss any questions or concerns you may have with your provider.