low-fat diet [ME, low; AS, faett; Gk, diaita, lifestyle] , a diet containing limited amounts of fat and consisting chiefly of easily digestible foods of high carbohydrate content. It includes all vegetables, lean meats, fish, fowl, pasta, cereals, and whole wheat or enriched bread. Egg yolk and fatty meats are restricted. Meat, eggs, butter and margarine, cream, fried foods, foods prepared in fats, oils, gravy, cheese, peanut butter, nuts, and olives are omitted or restricted. Experts recommend that no more than 30% of one’s daily calories should come from fatty foods and that no more than 10% should come from saturated fats. A typical low-fat diet providing approximately 1700 calories per day would contain 85 grams of protein, 220 grams of carbohydrate, and 50 grams of fat. Low-fat diets supply 10% to 15% of total energy as fat. A low-fat diet may be prescribed in the treatment of gallbladder disease, obesity, heart disease, malabsorption syndromes, and hyperlipidemia.
