Magazine
Focus on Fats
Choose meals and snacks with less saturated fat to help lower your risk for heart disease.
Instead of saturated fat → choose unsaturated fat
Saturated fat is found in animal foods such as high-fat meats and full-fat dairy products. It is also in coconut, coconut oil, palm and palm kernel oil.
Unsaturated fat is found in plant foods such as nuts, seeds, avocado, tofu, mayonnaise and liquid vegetable oils. It is also in fish, such as tuna, salmon, mackerel and sardines.
Tips for eating less saturated fat: 
- Check the Nutrition Facts label on packaged foods. Aim for less than 20 grams of saturated fat each day.
- Choose lean proteins more often, such as beans and peas, tofu, poultry, fish and lean meats.
- Go light with cheese on pizza and sandwiches.
- Choose sweets like ice cream and brownies less often.
- Try a spread of nut butter, mayonnaise or avocado instead of butter or cream cheese.
More About Fats
- Everyday aerobic activities– such as walking or dancing– can also help you manage or prevent heart disease.
- The fat in food helps your body absorb vitamins A, D, E and K, which are important for healthy aging.
- The unsaturated fats in fish include heart-healthy omega-3s. Eat 4 ounces of fish twice a week.
- Examples of lean meats are pork loin, beef round and 90% lean ground beef, pork and turkey.
- Enjoy a variety of foods from all groups and make them a part of your everyday routine.
Classics Stay Strong
- Use liquid oil or soft margarine instead of butter or stick margarine when preparing foods.
- Vegetable oils made of mostly unsaturated fat include canola, corn, sesame, soybean and olive.
- Eggs are a healthy protein food. They are budget-friendly and easy to cook.
- Remove skin from chicken or turkey and trim extra fat from meat.
- Choose low-fat milk and yogurt and part-skim cheese such as mozzarella and cotija.
Adding Calories with Fat
■ Health and dental conditions that come with aging can make it hard to eat enough calories to maintain muscle strength and body weight.
■ Including more unsaturated fat is a helpful and healthy way to add calories.
- Add nut butter or tofu to smoothies.
- Drizzle extra oil on salads and vegetables.
- Add extra mayonnaise to tuna or chicken salad.
- Add chopped nuts to hot cereal, muffins and salads.
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