What are some ways I can get more healthy fats in my diet?
- Use polyunsaturated margarine spreads containing omega-3 and omega-6, such as canola and sunflower spreads, instead of butter or dairy blends. Consider alternatives such as avocado.
- Use salad dressings and mayonnaise made from oils such as canola, sunflower, soy and olive oils.
- Use low- or reduced-fat milk and yoghurt or ‘added calcium’ soy drinks.
- Eat low-fat dairy foods such as milk, yoghurt and cheeses such as ricotta and cottage cheese. Use hard cheeses sparingly and choose fat-reduced versions, preferable those that contain less than 10-15% fat per 100g.
- Have fish (any type of fresh or canned) at least three times a week.
- Select lean meat (meat trimmed of fat and chicken without skin). Limit fatty meats including sausages and delicatessen meats such as salami. Aim to eat less than 500g of red meat per week.
- Snack on plain, unsalted nuts such as walnuts, almonds, and cashews and fresh fruit.
- Incorporate dried peas (for example split peas), beans (for example haricot beans, kidney beans, three bean mix) or lentils into two meals a week.
- Make non-starchy vegetables and wholegrain based such as breakfast cereals, bread, pasta, noodles and rice the major part of each meal.
- Try to limit takeaway to once a week or less. Go for foods such as vegetable stir fries, clear soups, sushi, salads, and tomato based pasta sauces over fried or high fat foods such as pizza, lasagna, and creamy pasta sauces.
- Avoid snack foods such as potato crisps and corn crisps. Preferably choose low-fat crackers based on wholegrain cereals such as Ryvita, Crusket, and Vita-Wheat, and to a lesser extent, low-fat baked snacks such as rice crackers, pretzels, and rice crackers.
- Try to limit cakes, pastries and chocolate or creamy biscuits to once a week or less often.
- Try to limit cholesterol-rich foods such as egg yolks and offal like liver, kidney and brains.