Average Americans consume around 239 calories of saturated fat each day, slightly exceeding the Dietary Rules’ recommendation of 200. Therefore, cutting back to meet this target won’t require completely overhauling your eating plan. When we think of saturated fats we typically think of red meat such as steak and bacon; however there are other sources you might be surprised to learn of that contain saturated fats that could surprise you! Here are the sources of saturated fats found in our daily diet.
1. Sandwiches
Bread itself usually doesn’t contain saturated fats; therefore the majority of saturated fats found in sandwiches come from processed meats and cheeses as well as rich spreads like mayonnaise. Sandwiches account for 19% of our saturated fat intake on average; due to being such a popular takeout option, making your own is an effective way to cut back when trying to lose weight. Since many cafes serve large portions of meat and cheese as well as spreads such as mayonnaise for an added kick; making your own without prior prep may help avoid cafe serving large sections of meat and cheese plus spread or mayonnaise for extra zip. When starting off on your weight loss journey try choosing lean proteins such as tofu tempeh or turkey and using spreads like hummus that add nutrients as well as flavor without increasing saturated fat content!
2. Dessert And Sweet Bites
Pastries and desserts contain significant quantities of margarine, palm oil or dairy fats that contribute approximately 11% of our saturated fat intake. This category included food such as frozen yogurt, cakes, pies, doughnuts, treats, brownies and more. Although sweets should still be enjoyed occasionally, an excess of fats and added sugars isn’t helpful when it comes to improving one’s health. Focus on indulging treats responsibly, and focus on enjoying smaller portions. Instead of snacking constantly on treats, consider alternatives like tea or organic products as alternatives. You could even try making one of our handcrafted dairy-free treats which may contain lower saturated fat content while providing additional heart-healthy fat sources like nuts or plant oils.l quite often be lower in saturated fats and higher in heart-healthy fats from nuts and plant oils.
3.Rice, Pasta And Grain-Based Blended Dishes
Grains themselves do not contain any saturated fat; however, grain-based combined dishes are the third highest contributor (7%) to our total daily dietary consumption of saturated fats. This can be explained by their combination of additional meat, cheese and other fat sources (think lasagna, goulashes and noodle dishes). One effective strategy to cut back is making food at home without prepping; restaurants often add additional saturated fat than you could ever consume by yourself; choose plant-based blended dishes such as Vegan Udon Noodle Soup and Dark Bean-Cauliflower “Rice” Bowls to enjoy flavor without overdoing it with saturated fat intake!
4. Higher-Fat Milk And Yogurt
Dairy food sources do contain saturated fat (6% of our diet to be exact). We should all recognize this, however. Higher-fat milk and yogurt products can be very satisfying and provide additional nutrition, yet try to limit their use in favor of enjoying more moderate components. Milks and yogurts are among the greatest contributors of added sugar in our diets, and aged high-fat varieties can add additional sugar, calories, and saturated fats in an excessively excessive manner. A MyPlate serving for milk or yogurt is one cup; much smaller than 16 ounces glasses or bowls! Using smaller cups with your dairy items for easier portion control as well as selecting plain dairy items with customized flavors are excellent ways of cutting back.
5. Pizza
cheese and meat components account for 5% of our saturated fat intake, making this an easy way to reduce restaurant food sources with extra fat content. Substituting veggies as garnishes instead of meat adds another nutritious boost for pizza!
6. Cheese
An Emotionally Bonded Ingredient While many of us appreciate cheese’s health benefits, its consumption accounts for approximately four percent of total saturated fat consumption. You don’t need to completely cut back when it comes to your saturated fat intake – when adding cheese as part of a dish try adding as an attractive garnish rather than the main component; or try enjoying veggie lover meals like Vegetarian Macintosh and Cheese or Veggie Eggplant Parmesan that include cheese-friendly options which help
7. Spreads
Spreads Much like specific sauces, spreads like mayonnaise and margarine contribute approximately three percent of our saturated fat intake each. To cut back, try making your own Avocado Hummus or Vegetarian Lemon-Dill Cashew Plunge at home – doing it this way can save money as well as time! Plus it makes it simple!
