AVERAGE AMERICAN DIET

• Breakfast
  • 1 egg scrambled in 1 teaspoon of butter
  • 2 slices of white toast
  • 1 teaspoon of butter
  • 1/2 cup of apple juice
• Snack
  • 1 cake donut
• Lunch
  • 1 ham and cheese sandwich (2 ounces of meat, 1 ounce of cheese)
  • white bread
  • 1 teaspoon of mayonnaise
  • 1-ounce bag potato chips
  • 12-ounce soft drink
  • 2 chocolate chip cookies
• Snack
  • 8 wheat thins
• Dinner
  • 3 ounces of broiled sirloin
  • 1 medium baked potato
  • 1 tablespoon of sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon of butter
  • 1/2 cup of peas, 1/2 teaspoon of butter

Totals: 2,000 Calories, 84 grams fat, 34 grams saturated fat, 425 milligrams cholesterol. The diet is 38% total fat, 15% saturated fat.

LOW FAT DIET

• Breakfast
  • 1 cup of toasted oat ring cereal
  • 1 cup of skim milk
  • 1 slice of whole-wheat bread
  • 1 teaspoon of margarine
  • 1 banana
• Snack
  • 1 cinnamon raisin bagel, 1/2 ounce light cream cheese
• Lunch
  • turkey sandwich (3 ounces of turkey)
  • rye bread
  • lettuce
  • 1 orange
  • 3 fig newtons
  • 1 cup skim milk
• Snack
  • non fat yogurt with fruit
• Dinner
  • 3 ounces of broiled chicken breast
  • 1 medium baked potato
  • 1 tablespoon of nonfat yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon of margarine
  • 1/2 cup of broccoli
  • 1 dinner roll
  • 1 cup skim milk

Totals: 2,000 Calories, 38g fat, 9.5g saturated fat, 91mg cholesterol. The diet is 17% fat, 4% saturated fat.

COMPARISON

For the same number of calories, a low-fat diet provides 190 mg of cholesterol, compared to 510 mg of cholesterol for an average American diet.

Because fat is high in calories, the low-fat diet actually has more food than the typical American diet.

CHILDREN

The low-fat diet example is too low in fat for small children to promote good growth. In addition, it may be difficult for them to consume such a large volume of food. Children should have a diet that is closer to 30% of calories from fat. Lower-fat diets may be appropriate in some children. Ask your doctor what is best for your child.

Images

Cholesterol producers

Cholesterol

• < Page
1 2
• >

Previous Section

Cholesterol Side Effects

Next Section

Cholesterol Prevention

Review Date: 01/17/2007
Reviewed By: William McGee, M.D., M.H.A., Assistant Professor of Medicine and Surgery, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, and Chairman, Nutrition Committee, Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)