Eating fat in moderation is essential to losing weight, weight maintenance, staving off heart disease and being healthy. Low-fat foods can replace high-fat foods in your pantry. Knowing which foods have less fat will also help you make healthier choices when you eat out. One easy way to switch from high fat foods is to replace all dairy products you normally consume with versions made with zero, 1 percent or 2 percent milk fat. Switching to soy-based products over those with animal products is another option.

Low-fat foods play an important part in a healthy diet. The body needs some fat, which makes low-fat foods a better option than eating only non-fat foods. The human body needs fat from foods for the important functions of providing energy to the body, like gas in a car. Fats can also improve the body's ability to absorb nutrients from other foods, according to the America Health Association. Use the Fats Translator from the AHA to determine how much fat, in low-fat foods, you should be consuming.

The best sources of low-fat foods come from foods in their most natural states. Most fruits and vegetables are considered non-fat, although many do have less than 1 gram of fat. An artichoke, for example, has .2 grams of fat, as does a serving of green beans. Legumes and beans are also low-fat foods, when they are canned or raw and you prepare them yourself. Grains including rice, lentils and the harder-to-find quinoa are also low in fat. Most fish is also a low-fat food. Wines, whiskeys and light beers contain zero grams of fat. For snacks, air-popped popcorn, rice cakes and pretzels fall into this group.

A low-fat food may be defined by the number of grams of the types of fats in the foods. Fat in foods is characterized and defined by its chemistry. Know which types of fats are in foods you eat, by reading the labels. Opt for foods with little to no saturated fat grams, and zero trans-fat grams. These are considered the "bad fats," according to the American Heart Association. Another feature to consider is the percentage of fat calories in a serving. If more than half of a food's calories per serving come from fat, skip it.

Processed foods that are labeled as low-fat may not be healthier for you. Low-fat processed foods often contain more sugar and more sodium than their full-fat counterparts. Sugar and salt are increased to improve the flavor of low-fat processed foods. Other foods marked low-fat, including low-fat yogurt, low-fat chocolate milk or low-fat ice cream, may contain artificial sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners are sometimes linked to headaches, allergic reactions and increased hunger, according to Medicinenet.com.

Choose low-fat dairy foods made with low-fat milk, rather than with additives. One cup of low-fat cottage cheese, for example, made with 1 percent low-fat milk has 2 grams of fat. Low-fat yogurt and buttermilk are other low-fat dairy products. When you cannot find a low-fat version of a favorite food, rather than consume extra sugar or salt, have half a portion of the full-fat version. The smaller portion will have half the fat as the full portion, and you will not be trading in the benefits of less fat for added sugar, salt or artificial ingredients. Only foods with fewer than 3 grams of fat per serving may be labeled as "low-fat" per government guidelines. When in doubt, look for "low-fat" printed on the label.