The Benefits of a Low Fat Diet

One of the chief causes of the obesity epidemic that we face today is the high fat content of much of the food we eat. Fast food and many of the prepackaged meals that we consume are loaded with fat. How can you change to a low fat diet, improve your health and lose weight, all at the same time?

Low Fat Doesn’t Mean No Fat

First, it isn’t just impossible to cut all fat from our diets, it is also unhealthy to do so. We need some fat in our diet to absorb fat soluble vitamins. Fat also provides energy and flavor to the foods we eat. Additionally, fat helps food to stay in our stomachs longer, which can help us to feel satisfied longer and to help fight off cravings.

Lack of fat in our diet has also been linked to health problems like hair loss, dry skin, bruising and lower resistance to infection. A lack of fat can also cause poor growth in children, poor healing of cuts and other injuries as well as irregularities in the menstrual cycle. Obviously, some fat is vital for good health. The key is to pick the right kinds of fat.

Good Fats vs. Bad Fats

In order to get the fat we need in our diet, without the health risks of bad fats, it is essential to know the difference. Good fats to include are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Both types can lower both total cholesterol as well as LDL (bad) cholesterol. Following are lists of various sources of both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

Monounsaturated fats:

  • Nuts, like walnuts, peanuts, almonds and pistachios
  • Avocados
  • Olive and canola oil

Polyunsaturated fats:

  • Seafood like salmon and fish oil
  • Walnuts and sunflower seeds
  • Corn, safflower and sunflower oil

Now for the bad fats. These fats raise total cholesterol as well as LDL cholesterol. These should be avoided as much as possible.

Saturated fats:

  • Animal products like meat, eggs and dairy
  • Coconut, palm and palm kernel oil

Of special note are trans fats. These are fats that have been chemically changed to give them longer shelf lives and other characteristics. After they have been changed, the body treats them in much the same way as saturated fats, with all the related health risks. It is well known that they are bad for your health, but it can be very difficult to avoid them since they are used in so many processed and packaged foods.

Trans fats (hydrogenated fats):

  • Margarine
  • Packaged foods
  • Fast foods

Reducing the Fat in Your Diet

One of the first steps to reducing the amount of fat in your diet would be to severely reduce or eliminate the processed and packaged foods in your diet. It isn’t enough to simply choose a low fat version, as many of these have extra sugar or other additives to replace the flavor lost by eliminating fat. They may actually be lower fat and higher in calories. The best thing to do is to prepare as much of your own food as you can. You can then choose where, when and how you add fat to your food.

When eating meat, eggs or dairy, try to choose lower fat alternatives. A big, juicy ribeye steak may sound more appealing than a leaner sirloin, but it isn’t as healthy. Try to use spices and seasonings to make up for the flavor lost along with the fat. Choose leaner cuts, or better yet, leaner meats. Chicken over beef, turkey over pork, etc. Again, when choosing low fat dairy products, make sure the fat hasn’t been replaced with sugar or something else equally detrimental.

Don’t Add Fat to Your Food

Try to make a special effort to be aware of the places you may be adding unnecessary fat to your diet, and then cut it out. Instead of butter and sour cream on your baked potato, try some salsa. Instead of a thick pat of butter on your toast, try a little no sugar added fruit spread. Instead of cream in your coffee, try a little skim milk. Although these are all little changes, they can add up.

Cooking With Less Fat

Experiment with your recipes. Many will call for two tablespoons of oil where one will do. Or, use a nonstick pan with a little cooking spray. When you do need to use a little oil, choose a healthier oil. Olive oil isn’t only healthy, it also adds good flavor.

Baking can be a special challenge. Many baked goods relay on the chemical changes caused by fat, so it may not be possible to eliminate it all. However, you can sometimes substitute applesauce or some other fruit puree for all or part of the fat in a recipe. Find a good low fat baking cookbook, and don’t be afraid to experiment.

Changing to a low fat diet can give a big boost to your health. Don’t expect to change everything overnight. Start small, and don’t be afraid to experiment. Soon, you too will be experiencing the benefits of a low fat diet.