Advice on lowering your fat and sugar intake
Foods & drinks high in fat and/or sugar
There’s no need to think of these foods as the baddies – they are fine as part of a healthy, balanced diet as long as you keep them as a treat.
Foods in this group include butter, margarine, low-fat spreads, salad dressings, mayonnaise, crisps, cream, biscuits, pastries, cakes, puddings, soft drinks, chocolate and confectionery.
The good news is that you don’t need to deny yourself the pleasure of these foods – providing you eat them in moderation and as part of a healthy balanced diet. Think of them as treats rather than foods you eat every day. Try choosing healthier options like reduced-fat and -sugar options where possible – try our be good to yourself range.
Although some fat is essential in the diet most of us eat far more than is good for us. A high fat diet, particularly one that contains a lot of saturated 'animal' fats is known to increase the risk of problems such as heart disease, stroke and certain types of cancer. Gram for gram fat contains twice as many calories as protein or carbohydrate making it a dieters biggest enemy.
There are two main types of fat: saturated and unsaturated – the unsaturated group can be divided again into monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.
Saturated fat
A diet high in saturated fats can raise levels of LDL 'bad' cholesterol in the blood which causes narrowing of the arteries and increases the risk of heart attacks and stroke.
Foods high in saturated fat include:
- Hard and full fat soft cheeses
- Cream,
- Crème fraiche
- Butter, lard, suet
- Fatty cuts of meat such as sausages, burgers, salami
- Pastry
- Coconut oil
- Coconut milk
- Palm oil
Unsaturated fats
These are better for the heart and are found in foods like:
- Oil rich fish
- Vegetable oil
- Olive oil
- Nuts & seeds
- Avocado
How much is too much?
- Intakes of saturated fat in UK diets are around 20% higher than official Government recommendations.
- 90% of children, 88% of men and 83% of women eat too much saturated fat.
- To stay healthy experts recommend that women should eat no more than 20g of saturated fat in a day and men no more than 30g/day.
Look at the label
On Sainsbury’s own brand products you can see at-a-glance how much fat and saturated fat (sat fat) a food or drink contains just by checking the traffic light labelling on the front of pack. Food and drinks that have a red traffic light for fat or saturated fat are high in fat and/or saturated fat should be an occasional treat rather than a regular part of the diet. Food and drinks that have a green traffic light for fat or saturated fat are low in fat and/or saturated fat.
Another way to check the fat is to look at the nutrition information on the back of the pack, we provide information per 100g and per serve and we also colour code the nutrition panel and provide Guideline Daily Amount information.
A food which contains less than 3g of fat per 100g is low in fat and less than 1.5g of saturated fat per 100g is low in saturated fat. A drink which contains less than 1.5g of fat per 100ml is low in fat and less than 0.75g of saturated fat per 100ml is low in saturated fat.
How to eat less saturated fat when you’re shopping
- Read the label - try to make sure that most of the food in your trolley or basket has green traffic lights for saturated fat.
- Look out for the Sainsbury’s be good to yourself range - many of the products in this range are low in fat and saturated fat.
- Choose low and reduced fat dairy products whenever possible - make simple changes. Swapping from semi-skimmed milk to Sainsbury’s 1% fat milk could help you reduce your intake of saturated fat by up to 45% in one year.
- Choose your meat carefully - choose leaner cuts of meat like skinless chicken breasts, turkey or lean pork. Lean meat can be more expensive but you save money by bulking out meaty dishes like spaghetti bolognaise and casseroles by adding vegetables or a can of mixed beans. Think of meat as an ingredient in a meal rather than the star of the show.
- Cut back on fatty meats - such as sausages, bacon, meat pies and salami. Choose lean back bacon rather than streaky, extra lean mince rather and reduced fat sausages.
- Eat more fish - all types of fish are low in saturated fat. Although fish like salmon and mackerel contain more fat than white fish it is the unsaturated variety which will help to keep your heart healthy.
- Be spread and oil smart - Choose spreads and oils that contain mainly monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats instead of butter.
- Be snack smart - keep biscuits, cakes, chocolate and crisps as a treat rather than a regular part of your diet and choose lower fat options. Keep portions modest - avoid giant sized cookies and muffins or share them with a friend!
- Take a good look at your trolley before you head for the check out - a healthy trolley should be full of fruit and vegetables, starchy carbohydrates and wholegrains.
How to trim the fat from your diet
when you’re cooking and preparing food
- Start with low fat ingredients - white fish, shellfish, skinless chicken or turkey and lean meat are all good choices. If your using bacon go for lean back rather than streaky.
- Choose low fat cooking techniques – poach, braise, steam, roast, grill or stir fry. Marinades are a good way of adding extra flavour without adding extra fat.
- Try to cut back or avoid using butter, lard, palm oil, coconut oil, coconut milk or cream and ghee (clarified butter) - replace with unsaturated fats such as olive oil, rapeseed oil or corn oil.
- Reduce the amount of oil you use to when frying - if you’re using oil to sauté food like onions use a measuring spoon – 2 tablespoons of oil should more than enough for a dish that serves 4. If you only want to give the pan a light coating of oil use an olive oil spray.
- Trim any visible fat from meat before cooking - remove the skin from chicken or turkey. Did you know a grilled chicken breast without skin contains a third less saturated fat than with skin?
- Choose your cheese wisely - most cheese is high in saturated fat but if you choose a strong tasting cheese like mature Cheddar or parmesan you can make a little cheese go along way. If you’re making cheese sandwiches using grated cheese rather than slices will make it go further and don’t forget to add plenty of salad or vegetables.
- Gravies and sauces - to make these creamy add yoghurt or fromage frais rather than cream. Stir in at the end of cooking to prevent curdling
- Lower fat white sauces - blend 1 tablespoons cornflower with 2 tablespoons cold water, whisk this mixture into 300ml skimmed milk and bring to the boil and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
- Go for fruit based desserts - serve fruit coulis or custard made with 1% fat milk rather than cream.
- Spread it thinly - whatever type of spread use on your bread spread it thinly. When you’re making sandwiches try using a thin spread of mayonnaise rather than margarine.
- Go big on tomatoes - swap creamy pasta sauces for tomato based sauces.
- Get baking – if you make cakes and biscuits at home you can use an unsaturated margarine or spread of vegetable oil to make them or trying using some fruit puree to replace some of the fat.
- Skim the fat - allow casseroles and stews to cool then skim the fat from the surface.
- Save fizzy drinks as an occasionally treat rather than a regular part of the diet – even though the diet versions don’t contain sugar they are still very sweet which can encourage a sweet tooth.
- Try diluting fruit juice half and half with fizzy water. Dilute squash and cordial well.
- Check food labels to help you pick the foods and drinks with less added sugar or go for the ‘low-sugar’ or ‘no added sugar’ version. Choosing food and drink with a green traffic light for sugar will mean they are ‘low sugar’.
- Try choosing tins of fruit in juice rather than syrup.
- Try having sugar coated breakfast cereals as an occasional treat and sweeten your cereal by adding fresh fruit.
- Try halving the sugar you use in your recipes. It works for most things except jam, meringues and ice cream.
- Rather than spreading jam, marmalade, syrup, treacle or honey on your toast, try a mashed banana instead.
- Try to avoid adding sugar to hot drinks or your cereal.
Look at the label - On Sainsbury’s own brand products you can see at-a-glance how much sugar food or drinks contain just by checking the traffic light labelling on the front of pack. Food and drinks that have a red traffic light for sugar are high in sugar and should be an occasional treat rather than a regular part of the diet. Food and drinks that have a green traffic light for sugar are low in sugar.
Another way to check the sugar is to look at the nutrition information on the back of the pack, we provide information per 100g and per serve and we also colour code the nutrition panel and provide Guideline Daily Amount information.
A food which contains less that 5g of sugar per 100g is low in sugar. A drink which contains less that 2.5g of sugar per 100ml is low in sugar.
This information is a guide only and should not replace advice given from your healthcare professional.
