Walk into any grocery store and you'll see "low fat" plastered on chips, cookies, yogurt cups, and frozen meals. Most of those products cut fat and replace it with sugar, corn syrup, or starches to keep the flavor passable. The result: roughly the same calorie count, a worse blood sugar response, and a label that feels like a lie. This low fat foods list takes a different approach — naturally low-fat whole foods organized by food group, with actual fat grams so you can compare.
The "Low Fat" Product Trap
Before the list, a quick reality check on processed low-fat products. A standard Oreo has 7g of fat. A "reduced fat" Oreo has 4.5g of fat — and 2g more sugar. Low-fat peanut butter replaces fat with maltodextrin and adds sugar to compensate for the missing richness. Fat-free salad dressing often packs 5-8g of sugar per serving.
The pattern is consistent: remove fat, add sugar. You're not eating healthier — you're eating different junk. The foods below don't need a marketing claim because they're naturally low in fat.
Fruits
Every whole fruit is naturally low in fat. Most contain less than 0.5g of fat per serving.
| Food | Fat (g) | Calories | Serving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oranges | 0.2 | 62 | 1 medium |
| Watermelon | 0.2 | 46 | 1 cup diced |
| Apples | 0.3 | 95 | 1 medium |
| Strawberries | 0.3 | 49 | 1 cup |
| Cantaloupe | 0.3 | 54 | 1 cup |
| Blueberries | 0.5 | 84 | 1 cup |
The only exceptions are avocado (21g fat per fruit) and coconut. Every other common fruit is effectively fat-free.
Vegetables
Nearly every vegetable is extremely low in fat. Per 100g raw:
| Food | Fat (g) | Calories | Per 100g raw |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cucumbers | 0.1 | 15 | |
| Tomatoes | 0.2 | 18 | |
| Carrots | 0.2 | 41 | |
| Romaine lettuce | 0.3 | 17 | |
| Bell peppers | 0.3 | 31 | |
| Cauliflower | 0.3 | 25 | |
| Zucchini | 0.3 | 17 | |
| Broccoli | 0.4 | 34 |
The only catch is preparation — roasting in olive oil or topping with butter and cheese transforms a zero-fat side into a 15g+ fat dish. Steam, grill dry, or eat raw to keep them lean.
Lean Proteins
Protein and fat usually travel together in animal foods, but these cuts break the pattern. Per 100g cooked:
| Food | Fat (g) | Protein (g) | Calories | Per 100g cooked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Egg whites | 0.2 | 11 | 52 | |
| Cod | 1.0 | 23 | 105 | |
| Tuna (canned in water) | 1.0 | 26 | 116 | |
| Shrimp | 1.7 | 24 | 120 | |
| Turkey breast (skinless) | 1.8 | 30 | 135 | |
| Chicken breast (skinless) | 3.6 | 31 | 165 |
The skin is where much of the fat lives in poultry. A chicken breast with skin jumps to about 7.8g fat. If you want the deep dive on combining high protein with low fat, check our high protein low fat foods ranking.
Grains and Starches
Whole grains are moderate in fat naturally — most of the fat in grain products comes from added butter, oil, or cheese during preparation. Per 100g cooked:
| Food | Fat (g) | Calories | Per 100g cooked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Potatoes (baked, plain) | 0.1 | 93 | |
| White rice | 0.3 | 130 | |
| Pasta | 0.9 | 131 | |
| Whole wheat bread | 1.4 | 81 | per slice |
| Oatmeal (plain) | 1.5 | 68 |
Plain baked potato: 0.1g fat. Loaded baked potato with butter, sour cream, cheese, and bacon: 25-30g fat. The base food isn't the problem.
Legumes
Legumes are some of the most underrated low-fat foods. They combine protein, fiber, and complex carbs with almost no fat. Per 100g cooked:
| Food | Fat (g) | Protein (g) | Calories | Per 100g cooked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lentils | 0.4 | 9 | 116 | |
| Split peas | 0.4 | 8 | 116 | |
| Black beans | 0.5 | 9 | 132 | |
| Kidney beans | 0.5 | 9 | 127 | |
| Chickpeas | 2.6 | 9 | 164 |
Chickpeas are the fattiest legume on this list, and they still have just 2.6g per 100g. Hummus is higher (about 9g fat per 100g) because of added tahini and olive oil.
Dairy
Full-fat dairy is high in fat — that's obvious. But fat-free and low-fat dairy options are some of the few processed "low fat" products that genuinely deliver.
| Food | Fat (g) | Protein (g) | Calories | Serving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skim milk | 0.2 | 8 | 83 | 1 cup |
| Fat-free Greek yogurt | 0.7 | 10 | 59 | per 100g |
| Low-fat cottage cheese (1%) | 1.0 | 12 | 72 | per 100g |
These work because dairy fat is physically separated (skimmed off), not chemically replaced with sugar. The protein stays intact.
Putting It Together
A day built around naturally low-fat foods might look like this: oatmeal with berries for breakfast (about 2g fat), a turkey breast sandwich on whole wheat for lunch (about 5g fat), and grilled chicken with rice and broccoli for dinner (about 6g fat). That's roughly 13g of fat across three meals — leaving room for cooking oil, dressing, or snacks.
For ideas on keeping fat low when eating out, check our guide to low fat fast food options at popular chains.
Find Low-Fat Options When You Eat Out
When you're eating out and can't check nutrition labels, DinePick identifies low-fat options on any restaurant menu — join the waitlist to try it first.