Eating a low-fat diet  
                 for pancreatitis 
                 Information for patients and families 
                 Why do I need a low-fat diet? 
                 Your body has trouble breaking down or using the fat that you eat. This caused gall 
                 bladder disease or pancreatitis. A low-fat diet can help. 
                 How much fat should I eat each day? 
                 Each person is different. The amount of fat you should eat depends on how much 
                 your body can digest.   
                          Aim for no more than ___________ grams of fat each day.  
                 Tips to eat low-fat 
                        Eat smaller meals more often. 
                        Avoid fried and fatty foods.  
                        Before you cook poultry, meat and fish, remove the skin and any fat  
                         that you can see. 
                        Always check nutrition facts. You may be able to eat products that say  
                         fat-reduced or fat-free on the label, but check the amount of fat first. 
                        To avoid adding oil or butter to your food, use non-stick pans when  
                         you cook.  
                        Use low-fat cooking methods like baking, broiling, roasting, boiling,  
                         stewing or steaming. 
                        Eat more vegetables and fruits. 
                                                                              
                  
                 How to choose foods lower in fat 
                 There are lots of low-fat food choices. Before long you will know what you can 
                 and cannot eat. Here are some good rules to remember for different foods: 
                        Grains – Look for less than 1 gram of fat per serving (1g) 
                        Meats and alternatives – Use low-fat cooking methods (baking, broiling, 
                         roasting, boiling, stewing or steaming) 
                        Fats and oils – Each day, add less than 3 teaspoons (15 ml) to your food 
                 Which foods can I eat? 
                 This table lists foods to choose and to avoid. 
                  Food group            Choose                                   Avoid 
                  Milk and              Skim or 1% milk                          Homogenized milk (3%) 
                  alternatives          Soy or rice milk                         2% milk 
                                        Yogurt (0 to 1% MF or milk fat)          Cream 
                                                                                 Evaporated milk 
                                                                                 Condensed milk 
                                                                                 Cheese spreads 
                                                                                 Sour cream 
                  Grain products        Whole grain bread                        Muffins 
                                        English muffins                          Tea biscuits 
                                        Soda and rice crackers                   Croissants 
                                        Melba toast                              Cheese bread  
                                        Arrowroot cookies                        Cereals with nuts or coconut 
                                        Rice                                     Pancakes 
                                        Rice cakes                               Sweet rolls 
                                        Noodles without egg yolks                Egg noodles 
                                        Oatmeal 
                                        Cream of wheat 
                                        Dry cereals 
                                        Microwave popcorn 
                                                   
                                                                              
                  
                Food group         Choose                             Avoid 
                Meats and          Chicken without skin               Fried meat, fish or poultry  
                alternatives       Lean meat, ground beef or veal  Chicken with skin 
                                   One egg yolk per day               Salami, bologna 
                                   Egg whites                         Fish, canned in oil 
                                   Beans, canned in water             Nut butters 
                                   or brine                           Nuts, seeds 
                                   Legumes, canned in water           Organ meats 
                                   or brine                           Ribs 
                                                                      Bacon and sausage  
                                                                      Deli meats 
                                                                      Beans or legumes canned with 
                                                                      fat, such as pork and beans 
                Fruit and          Fresh, frozen or canned fruit      Avocado 
                vegetables         and vegetables                     Coconut 
                                   Fruit and vegetable juices         Olives 
                                                                      Fried vegetables  
                                                                      Vegetables prepared with 
                                                                      added fat 
                Fats and oils      Fat-free salad dressings           Sauces and gravies 
                                   Butter 
                                   Margarine 
                                   Mayonnaise 
                                   Peanut butter 
                                   Salad dressing or oil 
                Other foods        Soups made with broth, or with     Soups made with homogenized 
                                   skim or 1% milk                    (3%) milk or cream  
                                   Sugar and candies                  Ice cream  
                                   Juice                              Cakes 
                                   Coffee, tea                        Pies and pastries 
                                   Pretzels                           Donuts  
                                         ®
                                   Jell-O                             Alcohol  
                                   Sherbet                            Coffee creamer 
                                                                      Deep fried food 
                                                                      Candies made with fat, oil, 
                                                                      butter, cream, chocolate or 
                                                                      coconut 
                                                                    
                
                 More tips to eat low fat 
                        In dips and sauces, use low-fat yogurt or sour cream (0% or 1% MF).  
                        On salads, try lemon juice or balsamic vinegar instead of high-fat  
                         salad dressings. 
                        Snack on raw vegetables and fruit instead of high-fat snack foods  
                         such as potato chips. 
                        Boil, bake or steam vegetables to avoid adding fat. 
                        Cook meats in water or broth instead of fat. 
                 When I eat out, what are good choices? 
                        Order meat, poultry or fish that is boiled, baked, roasted, steamed or 
                         poached. Avoid choices that are cooked in fat. 
                        Choose a baked potato instead of french fries or onion rings. 
                        When having a salad, ask for a low-fat dressing or dressing on the side. 
                        Avoid casseroles. 
                        Avoid foods that are creamed, sautéed, fried or pan-fried.  
                        Avoid foods that have gravies or a cream or butter sauce. 
                                                                                   ®
                        For dessert, choose fresh fruit, sherbet, Jell-O  or angel food cake.  
                        Choose grilled, rotisserie or barbecue chicken. Do not eat the skin. 
                        Avoid high-fat toppings on pizza such as extra cheese, pepperoni, bacon, 
                         sausage and olives. 
                        On pizzas, choose less cheese and more vegetables. 
                        Choose regular or junior burgers rather than cheese or deluxe burgers. 
                        Avoid milkshakes and ice cream. 
                          
                 This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care.   
                 Ask your healthcare provider about this information if you have questions. 
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