When you’re shopping or dining out, knowing which protein sources are low in saturated fat can be helpful. While you might assume the best way to reduce your saturated fat intake is to stop eating animal products altogether, you can still enjoy fish, beef, pork, and poultry by choosing low-fat meats and making them part of an overall balanced diet.

Saturated Fat

There are four types of dietary fat: saturated, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, and trans fats. What makes these fats different is how they are put together at a biochemical level. How these fats are structured influences how your body absorbs and uses them.

Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are liquid, while saturated and trans fats are solid. Fats that are liquid at room temperature, like olive oil, tend to be more beneficial to our health. Solid fats like butter are fine in moderation but can negatively impact our health when eaten excessively.

The relationship between saturated fat, high cholesterol levels (especially LDL), and an increased risk of heart disease is complex. Some studies have indicated that eating a lot of saturated fat raises cholesterol levels, which in turn increases the risk of heart disease.

Other studies haven't substantiated the link, rather, they have found some sources of saturated fat (such as dairy) may not increase heart disease risk. Rather, they may even be protective.

If you already have elevated lipid levels, changing your diet to reduce the amount of saturated fat can help lower your levels. It can also be beneficial if you're trying to manage your weight, blood sugar, or blood pressure.

The different types of fat are found in many foods we eat. The richest dietary sources of saturated fat for many people are meat and dairy products. However, some sources are healthier choices than others, and the way each meat is prepared and served can influence its contribution to your daily fat intake.

Fish and Seafood

If you’re watching your saturated fat intake, fish is often a safe bet. Just avoid breaded or deep-fried dishes. If you're concerned about mercury levels, choose seafood low in mercury. Fish is also packed with omega-3 fatty acids, which can reduce your risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

• Clams
• Cod
• Flounder
• Haddock
• Pollock
• Salmon
• Scallops
• Shrimp

When you need something quick and convenient, try tuna that’s canned or in a pouch (look for options packed in water rather than oil). While fish is a favorite choice of dinner entree, it can also be easily added to a salad for extra protein.

If you're dining out, fish is one meat you'll often encounter battered and fried. Instead of fried fish dishes, look for those that are broiled, baked, poached, steamed, or grilled.

Poultry

Poultry is another lean option you can cook at home or order at a restaurant. Like with fish, avoid breaded or fried options. While it’s long been touted that only skinless chicken is healthy, the recommendation to remove the skin to avoid additional fat has been challenged by some health experts, as most of the fat in chicken meat and skin is unsaturated.

• Chicken or turkey (white meat most of the time with dark meat as an occasional treat)
• Turkey bacon or low-fat sausage (in moderation)
• Cornish hen

The exceptions to poultry as a low-fat meat option are goose and duck, rich sources of saturated fat. However, duck fat is lower in saturated fat than butter or beef fat.

Poultry is an extremely versatile meat. On its own, it's a natural choice to build a meal around, whether it be oven, stove-top, or grill. Leftovers can be eaten cold in salads or sliced for sandwiches, and even the bones can be used as a base for soups and stews.

Like fish, chicken is also a popular meat for frying. Chicken fingers, nuggets, and patties are often cooked with oils, butter, and breading—especially in fast food restaurants. Look for dishes with baked or grilled chicken. You may even get some cuts, like chicken breast, without the skin.

Beef

Red meat might seem like food to avoid if you’re trying to keep your saturated fat low, but the trick is knowing how all the different options stack up nutritionally. The various cuts of meat available can be confusing (especially since the labeling and naming conventions aren’t standardized).

It's also important to remember (whether you're preparing a meal at home or dining out) to keep an eye on your portions. As a general guideline for meat, a single serving is about 3–4 ounces.

This list of cuts isn’t exhaustive, but it includes some of the most popular options you’ll come across in the grocery store or a restaurant menu.

Ground

• Ground beef
• Ground sirloin

Short Loin

• Filet mignon
• Fillet steak
• Porterhouse steak
• Strip steak
• T-Bone steak
• Tenderloin roast and steak

Sirloin

• Coulotte steak
• Flap steak
• Sirloin steak
• Tri-Tip

Round

• Bottom, top, and eye of the round
• Minute steak
• Round steak
• Rump roast

Other Cuts

• Flank steak
• London broil

You can ask for lean cuts of meat when you're at the grocery store or butcher. Low-fat meats have less fat and are lower in cholesterol.

Even if you start with a cut of beef that isn't lean, you can easily trim away the excess fat and allow it to drain before cooking to reduce its fat content. If you're dining out, you may not be able to specify a leaner cut of meat, but you can certainly cut away the fat yourself.

When choosing a cooking method, remember frying typically requires added fat like butter and oil, whereas baking, broiling, and roasting do not. Similarly, any sauces, basting, or seasoning you add to the meat will change its nutrition, adding not only carbs, fat, and calories, but salt and sugar.

Pork

If you’re not a fan of chicken and fish or you find yourself getting tired of it, pork can be another low-fat meat option. Pork is also a great source of lean protein. When you're making a purchase, look or ask for leaner cuts such as "round" or "loin."

While the saturated fat content varies, you can also control it somewhat depending on how you cook pork. Some of the lowest-fat preparations of pork include:

• Boiled ham
• Lean, well-trimmed pork chops
• Loin and tenderloin cutlets

If you want to keep your saturated fat intake low, it’s best to avoid processed pork products high in saturated and trans fat, as well as salt and additives. An occasional piece of Canadian or crisp-cooked, well-drained bacon won’t completely disrupt your low-fat diet efforts.

Keeping portion sizes in mind, if you're having a meal out, consider packing up half your meal to take home—as what you are served is likely to be more than a single serving. For example, an extra serving of bacon from breakfast can be tossed in a salad later.

Lamb

If you like lamb, the best choice is a well-trimmed leg of lamb. One 4-ounce serving of a lean-cut bone-in leg of lamb has about 1.7 grams of saturated fat. Lamb is also a rich source of lean protein as well as several important vitamins and minerals.

Like most meat, lamb can be used as the center of a meal or added to a dish like stew. One of the main attributes of lamb is that it pairs well with a variety of interesting flavors such as mint, citrus, garlic—even coffee and vanilla.

While lamb chops are the most popular preparation, they tend to be higher in fat. You don’t need to completely forego the cut—just save it for an occasional treat.

Veal

Veal, or young cattle, is another versatile protein source. A bone-in veal chop with the fat trimmed has about 2 grams of saturated fat per 4.75-ounce serving, making it one of the most low-fat options. Veal can be broiled, roasted, or grilled like chicken and steak, but its texture also holds up surprisingly well in stews.

• Chop
• Leg cutlet
• Rib roast
• Top round

While veal is lean and tender meat to cook with, you may wish to keep at least a thin layer of fat to help it retain its moisture. It's generally easy to prepare and lends itself to many flavors and dishes, but compared with other meats it can be easy to overcook.

Cook veal to 160 degrees Fahrenheit (medium) to avoid drying the meat out. Plus, keeping a thin layer of fat will help preserve its juiciness.

Wild Game

Wild game has become increasingly popular as a healthy choice for low-fat meat and can be found at many grocery stores and specialty butchers. In addition to being sources of wild game, these livestock are also farmed on open-air ranches and are typically grass-fed:

• Bison
• Buffalo
• Elk
• Venison

Lean cuts of bison, buffalo, and elk each contain less than 1 gram of saturated fat per 4-ounce serving. But ground game is typically fattier—for instance, a 4-ounce serving of ground venison contains about 3.8 grams of saturated fat per serving.

Enjoy ground wild game in burger form or add lean cuts to stews or savory dishes sautéed with vegetables.

Low-Fat Lunch Meats

Look for options low in fat, sugar-free, and aren’t filled with additives or preservatives like sodium nitrate. In fact, many brands have taken their most popular products and specifically crafted versions of low-sodium deli meats. 

Low-fat deli meats are a good source of protein. White meats, like roasted turkey or chicken breast, often have little to no saturated fat. Other choices include:

• Organic roast beef
• Smoked turkey breast or ham
• Uncured, slow-cooked, and black forest ham

Other Protein Sources

If you’d prefer to avoid meat, there are several non-meat options for protein:

• Beans
• Eggs
• Seitan
• Tempeh
• Tofu

If you’re looking for meat substitutes that resemble the taste and texture of animal meat, there are many packaged varieties you can try. Look for those that are low-fat and low-sodium. Keep in mind that many “meatless meat” options are soy-based, so if you’re trying to avoid soy you may choose other protein sources.