A good daily target is to keep fat intake below 100g for men and 75g for women. If you're trying to lose weight, your target should be 70g for men and 55g for women.
Problems with fat
There are nine calories in every gram of fat - more than twice as many as in the equivalent amount of protein or carbohydrate. That's why cutting down on high-fat foods is the first step to a healthier diet.
A diet high in saturated fat - the type found in animal produce - is also one of the leading factors in heart disease, the number one cause of premature death in the UK. Saturated fat can block the arteries that carry blood away from the heart, leading to high blood pressure and heart attacks.
How to eat low fat
If you're used to eating high-fat food on most days, it's time to swap these for lower fat and starchy alternatives. Try the following suggestions, aiming to do as many as possible this week, but making them all part of your routine in the long-term:
Use a low-fat spread instead of butter or margarine.
Eat fewer meat pies, cheesy dishes and sausages, and choose lean meat instead.
Grill, bake and dry-fry (use a low heat and a non-stick pan).
Don't add oil or butter to vegetables and potatoes.
Make tomato-based sauces, not creamy ones. Try this grilled tomato sauce.
Use granules to make gravy instead of fat from the meat.
Have a couple of meat-free days a week and experiment with vegetarian dishes. For example, lentil and spinach stew, spinach and chickpea curry or nut loaf.
Reduce the portion size of meat to about 75g and fill up on vegetables and starchy foods, such as potatoes, rice, pasta, bread or couscous.
Remove visible fat from meat, eat fish at least once a week, choose low-fat milk and yoghurt, and keep cheese as an occasional treat.