14 Tips for Trimming Fat Out of Diets

Following is a list of 14 tips from the USDA, designed to help dieters trim fat, saturated fat and cholesterol from the diet:

* Steam, boil or bake vegetables. Or for a change, stir-fry in small amount of vegetable oil.

* Season vegetables with herbs and spices rather than sauces, butter or margarine.

* Try lemon juice on salads or use limited amounts of oil-based salad dressing.

* To reduce fat, use margarine instead of butter in baked products, and when possible, use oil instead of shortening.

* Try whole-grain flours to enhance flavors of baked goods made with less fat and cholesterol-containing ingredients.

* Replace whole milk with nonfat or lowfat milk in puddings, soups and baked products.

* Substitute plain lowfat yogurt, blender-whipped lowfat cottage cheese or buttermilk in recipes that call for sour cream or mayonnaise.

* Choose lean, select cuts of meat and trim fat from meats before and after cooking.

* Roast, bake, broil or simmer meat, poultry or fish and remove skin before cooking.

* Cook meat or poultry on a rack so the fat will drain off. Use nonstick pan for cooking so added fat will be unnecessary.

* Chill meat or poultry broth until fat becomes solid. Spoon off fat before using the broth.

* Limit egg yolks to one per serving when making scrambled eggs. Use additional egg whites for larger servings.

* Try substituting egg whites in recipes calling for whole eggs. Use two whites for each whole egg in muffins, cookies and puddings.

* Remember: 1 teaspoon margarine, butter or oil is equivalent to 5 teaspoons sour or whipped cream, 4 teaspoons light cream, 1 tablespoon mayonnaise-type salad dressing or cream cheese, 2 teaspoons Italian or French salad dressing or imitation margarine and 1 teaspoon mayonnaise.