ShopSmart Cuts the Fat with Smart Food Swaps

~ 15 Foods to Reduce Fat Intake and Help Prevent Health Problems ~

YONKERS, N.Y., Sept. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Fats can be sneaky – they lurk in lots of everyday, packaged food items and can put people at risk for heart disease and other health issues.  The October 2011 issue of ShopSmart magazine, from the publisher of Consumer Reports, found 15 popular packaged goods that are surprisingly high in fat and suggests low-fat swaps for each.

"Just because beach weather is over doesn't mean that people are ready to give up on their diets," said Lisa Lee Freeman, editor-in-chief of ShopSmart.  "A lot of packaged foods have a shocking amount of fat in them, so we did the dirty work of sifting out some high fat products and finding alternatives with as much as 89% less fat."

Smart Swaps

Instead of: Terra Mediterranean Exotic Vegetable Chips (150 calories, 9 grams fat in 19 chips/1 oz, 1 gram sat fat)
Try This: Popchips Original Potato (120 calories, 4 grams fat in 23 chips/1 oz, 0 grams sat fat)
Fat reduction: 56% less fat

Instead of: Aunt Jemima Cinnamon French Toast Sticks (270 calories, 10 grams fat in 4 pieces (89 grams), 2.5 grams sat fat)
Try This: Aunt Jemima Homestyle French Toast (220 calories, 4.5 grams fat in 2 slices (118 grams), 1.5 grams sat fat)
Fat reduction: 55% less fat

Instead of: Pillsbury Place 'N Bake Crescent Rounds (110 calories, 6 grams fat in 1 roll (28 grams), 2 grams sat fat)
Try This: Pillsbury Biscuits Buttermilk (50 calories, 0.7 grams fat in 1 biscuit (21 grams), 0.2 grams sat fat)
Fat reduction: 89% less fat

Instead of: Wish-Bone House Italian Dressing (110 calories, 10 grams fat in 2 tbsp, 1.5 grams sat fat)
Try This: Wish-Bone Mediterranean Italian Dressing (60 calories, 5 grams fat in 2 tbsp, 1 gram sat fat)
Fat reduction: 50% less fat

Instead of: Sabra Roasted Garlic Hummus (70 calories, 6 grams fat in 2 tbsp, 1 gram sat fat)
Try This: Cedar's Garlic Lovers Hummus (40 calories, 1.5 grams fat in 2 tbsp, 0 grams sat fat)
Fat reduction: 75% less fat

Instead of: Nestle Baby Ruth (280 calories, 14 grams fat in 1 bar (60 grams), 8 grams sat fat)
Try This: York Dark Chocolate Covered Peppermint Patties Miniatures(150 calories, 4 grams fat in 4-piece serving (55 grams), 3 grams sat fat)
Fat reduction: 71% less fat

Instead of: Cheez-It Baked Snack Crackers (150 calories, 8 grams fat in 27 crackers (30 grams), 2 grams sat fat)
Try This: Cheez-It Baked Snack Crackers Scrabble Junior (140 calories, 5 grams fat in 26 crackers (30 grams), 1.5 grams sat fat)
Fat reduction: 38% less fat

Instead of: Rice-A-Roni Spanish Rice (260 calories, 8 grams fat in 1 cup, 1.5 grams sat fat; prepared with margarine and tomatoes)
Try This: Uncle Ben's Ready Rice Spanish Style (200 calories, 2.5 grams fat in 1 cup, 0 grams sat fat)
Fat reduction: 69% less fat

Instead of: Smartfod White Cheddar Cheese Popcorn (160 calories, 10 grams fat in 1 ounce, 2 grams sat fat)
Try This: Pirate's Booty Aged White Cheddar Rice and Corn Puffs  (130 calories, 5 grams fat in 1 ounce, 1 gram sat fat)
Fat reduction: 50% less fat

Instead of: Tostitos Multigrain Tortilla Chips (150 calories, 7 grams fat in 8 chips (1 ounce), 1 gram sat fat)
Try This: Baked Tostitos Scoops (120 calories, 3 grams fat in 14 chips (1 ounce), 0.5 grams sat fat)
Fat reduction: 57% less fat

What to look for at the store

Keep an eye out for these words on the label when you're at the store.  But pay attention to serving sizes!  A true serving can be pretty small, so even if the label says "low fat," you might be getting more fat and calories than you think.

• Fat Free: Less than 0.5 grams of fat
• Low Fat: A maximum of 3 grams of fat
• Reduced Fat: At least 25 percent less fat than a similar food has
• Trans-fat Free: Less than 0.5 grams of trans fat

About ShopSmart magazine:
Launched in Fall 2006 by Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, ShopSmart draws upon Consumer Reports' celebrated tradition of accepting no advertisements and providing unbiased product reviews. The magazine features product reviews, shopping tips on how to get the most out of products and "best of the best" lists. ShopSmart is ideal for busy shoppers who place a premium on time. ShopSmart has a newsstand price of $4.99 and is available nationwide at major retailers including Barnes & Noble, Wal-Mart, Borders, Kroger, Safeway and Publix. ShopSmart is available by subscription at www.ShopSmartmag.org.

ShopSmart is now available 10 times a year. Subscribe at www.ShopSmartmag.org.

SOURCE ShopSmart Magazine