Fat Free Doesn't Mean Trouble-Free
Supermarket shelves are full of “fat-free” products these days — everything from cookies to bread, from juices (which didn’t have fat in the first place) to half-and-half for your coffee. But if your aim is to create a low-fat diet to keep cholesterol levels down, “fat free” isn’t a magic bullet. In fact, health experts warn that “fat-free” foods may cause more problems than they claim to solve.
According to the FDA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), foods advertised as “fat free” must have less than 0.5 grams of fat per serving. “Low-fat” foods, meanwhile, must have 3 grams of fat or less per serving. “Reduced-fat” foods have to have at least 25% less fat than their traditional counterparts. And “light” foods must have either 1/3 fewer calories or 50% less fat.
The problem is that sometimes “fat free” is also taste free. And to make up for that lack of flavor, food manufacturers tend to pour other ingredients into the products like sugar and other unhealthy additives like thickeners and extra salt—which may boost the calorie content. Although these fat free foods seem healthy, the substitute ingredients can lead to excessive hunger, weight gain, and disease. For optimal health, it's best to consume minimally processed whole foods.
So instead of fat free, today’s nutritionists speak in terms of ‘good fat’ and ‘bad fat.’ Keeping the amount of fat in your diet down to about 30% is still important, but what’s most important is that you’re eating the right kind of heart-healthy fats.
“Good” fats include both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats like olive and avocado oils, tuna and salmon. “Bad” fats include the saturated fats found in animal products (beef, pork, chicken, butter, and other dairy products). They also include trans fats, found in the hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils often used in commercial baked products and fast food.
All this isn’t to say that fat free products have no role in a heart-healthy diet. But to use them wisely, experts suggest that you:
Read the labels of “fat free” products. Make sure the products aren’t loaded with sugar or additives, and that they’re actually lower in calories than their traditional counterpart.
Choose lean cuts of meat and fish, and low-fat dairy products.
Watch your servings. If you eat three servings of low-fat ice cream, at 3 grams of fat and 250 calories per serving, you're eating 9 grams of fat and 750 calories! Sometimes it's better to eat one serving of more satisfying whole-fat food and avoid the extra calories and sugar in the low-fat version.
Eat more whole foods like vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains. These give you nutrients and fiber to keep you feeling full longer, and they typically have fewer calories. They're also naturally low in fat. A medium baked potato is a better choice than fat-fat or “baked” potato chips (as long as you leave off the butter, cheese and sour cream!). The whole potato has more nutrients, more fiber, and fewer calories.
Keep your salads simple. Adding too many non-vegetables plus processed dressing make the salad fattening, which clearly defeats the purpose. Stick with olive oil, herbs, and lemon for dressing, and put in some real bacon, avoiding the processed Bacon bits.
For more information about good and bad fats, click the button below to book a Complimentary Assessment with Success Studio’s Registered Dietitian, R.D. Helen Ballew. And if you have a question leave it in the comments below - chances are you aren’t the only one who needs to chew the fat!