Guideline No. 3
Choose lower fat dairy products, leaner meats, and foods prepared with little or no fat.

This guideline is aimed at reducing fat intake. The average Canadian eats too much fat, a dietary factor linked to a variety of health problems including cancer. High fat diets are associated with colon and breast cancer; some studies have also linked high fat diets to prostate cancer.

How to Cut Back on Fat?

Most Canadians can bring their fat intakes down to a healthy range by making a few changes in the way they shop, cook and prepare foods.

It is getting easier to control the amount of fat you eat. They fat content of many foods is now available on package labels and through brochures distributed by marketing boards, food companies and fast food restaurants.

You can use this nutrition information to choose lower fat foods by comparing products and brands, once you have a rough idea of what a healthy intake of fat is.

So what is a healthy fat intake?

Right now, the average Canadian gets 38% of the day's calories form fat. We're being advised to cut back on fat, so that no more than 30% of a day's calories, on average, come from fat.

Check out this chart to see what 30% fat means in grams of fat. The fat content of foods is always reported as grams of fat.

Healthy Fat Intakes will Vary

The amount of fat you eat will vary from day to day. Some meals and some days will be higher in fat. That's okay. Even high fat meals can be in keeping with healthy eating as long as you balance higher fat meals or days with some lower fat meals or days. It is the average intake of fat over the course of weeks and months that is important, not the fat content of every food and meal you eat.

Healthy Fat Intake for Different Ages and Stages

The goals for a healthy fat intake given above are intended to provide general guidance for the average person, ages 25-49. Younger people and highly active adults who have higher calorie needs may be able to eat a little more fat. Older adults and less active people whose daily calorie needs are likely less than this average, should aim for a little less fat than is shown in the chart above.

Further Reading:

• Fats 101: Good Fats and Bad Fats
• Everyday Ways to Cut Back on Fat
• Shopping and Eating Tips for Lower Fat Eating

Info obtained from the Healthy Eating published by the Canadian Cancer Society

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