San Bernardino County Department of Public Health Nutrition Program
1. What does low in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol mean? On food labels, these terms are legally defined. Low fat means 3 grams or less fat per
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Frequently Asked Questions
serving. Low saturated fat means 1 gram or less fat per serving. Low cholesterol is defined as 20 milligrams or less per serving. These numbers are very helpful when you have a food label right in front of you. But what about the foods that come from a bakery or deli, or foods that are made at home? If there is no nutrient data available, you will have to use common sense when buying or making these dishes and bringing them to work related events. In general, any foods that contain fat as a major ingredient are not considered healthy foods and are not good choices. Foods that generally do not fit into this category include:
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bullet high fat meats
bullet high fat dairy products (foods with full fat cheese, cream, yogurt, cottage cheese, sour cream, cream cheese)
bullet foods made with a lot of margarine, butter or egg
bullet most creamy salads (potato, macaroni and pasta salads)
bullet fried foods (chips, French fries, egg rolls, doughnuts, etc)
Breakfast Suggestions:
bullet Fruit salad
bullet Whole fruit
bullet Low-fat yogurt
bullet Bagels with a variety of flavored low-fat spreads
bullet 100% fruit juice
bullet Mini cereal boxes with fruit
bullet Fruit bread or mini muffins
bullet Granola bars
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2. What is the definition of low sugar?
Foods low in sugar should contain less than 35% of sugar by weight. Foods with a lot of added sugar, and many processed foods do not fit into this category. Cakes, cookies, pies and candies have a high percent of sugar by weight.

3. How can I figure out if a product is less than 35% of calories from fat, less than 10% of calories from saturated fat and less than 35% sugar by weight?

These simple calculations can be derived from the Nutrition Facts Label, located on the product package.

**To figure percent of calories from fat, use this simple equation:

Grams of fat per serving X 9 (X 100) = % calories from fat Calories per serving

**Saturated fat uses the same equation; substitute grams of saturated fat for grams of fat.

**To figure percent sugar by weight, use this simple equation:

Grams of sugar per serving (X 100) = % sugar by weight Weight of food per serving in grams

Great Ideas for Meetings or Potlucks
These food suggestions are a great guide of healthy food options for many office events, from weekly meetings to annual potlucks. Post these as a guide for employees, or use to plan your next event. Use these as a guide, and be creative!
Appetizer Suggestions:
bullet Raw vegetables with low-fat dip
bullet Pretzels, low-fat tortilla chips, low-fat potato chips, low-fat popcorn
bullet Reduced fat cheese assortment with low-fat crackers
bullet Low-fat baked tortilla chips, bean dip, and salsa
bullet Hummus and pita bread
bullet Baked artichoke dip made with low-fat mayonnaise with low-fat crackers
bullet Roasted red peppers on thinly sliced Italian bread
bullet Spinach dip made with low-fat mayonnaise and/or sour cream in bread bowl
Salads and Side Dish Suggestions:
bullet Mixed green salad with low-fat dressing
bullet Rolls and dinner bread
bullet Fruit salad
bullet Spinach salad with mandarin oranges and toasted almonds
bullet Red potato salad made with low-fat mayonnaise and/or sour cream
bullet Tomato salad with artichoke hearts, onions, black olives, mint and oregano
bullet Three-bean salad
bullet Corn salad with red and green peppers
bullet Pasta salad made with low-fat dressing
bullet Rice or couscous with dried fruit and/or vegetables
bullet Bell peppers stuffed with Spanish rice or corkscrew pasta
Main Dish Suggestions:
bullet Chili and soup
bullet Turkey sandwiches
bullet Vegetable pizza
bullet Chicken salad made with low-fat mayonnaise and chopped apples or grapes
bullet Vegetable-stuffed whole wheat pita sandwiches with low-fat dressing
bullet Taco salad made with chicken or ground lean turkey
bullet Casseroles made with reduced-fat cheeses and lots of vegetables
bullet Vegetarian lasagna made with reduced-fat cheese
Dessert Suggestions:
bullet Fresh fruit salad
bullet Fresh fruit with chocolate and/or caramel dipping sauce
bullet Fruit cobbler
bullet Oatmeal raisin cookies
bullet Fig bars
bullet Frozen yogurt, sorbets, or low-fat ice cream
bullet Brownies made with applesauce instead of oil
bullet Carrot cake made with applesauce with added whole wheat flour and pineapple
bullet Angel food cake with fruit topping