Fat Free Foods

You've seen them at the grocery store. Packaged foods with brightly colored lettering that proudly proclaims the fact that they're fat free. Fat-free foods were once quite popular - back in the days when low fat was the mantra - and fat was the enemy. With the more recent focus on low carb diets, foods without fat have lost some of their luster - but there are still people who look for the fat-free label on everything they put into their grocery cart. Is eating fat-free foods a good way to lose weight?

Eating a low fat diet is a proven way to lose weight. A study that compared low fat with low carb diets showed that both diets were effective, but people who followed a low fat diet were less likely to regain their weight. On the other hand, piling your cabinets and refrigerator high with fat-free, packaged foods isn't necessarily the answer.

It's important to eat a certain amount of fat - even if you're trying to lose weight. If you don't eat at least a some fat with a meal, the body won't absorb fat soluble vitamins like vitamins A,D,E, and K. The key is to cut back on the wrong kinds of fats - saturated fat and trans fats - and replace them with polyunsaturated fats - particularly heart healthy omega-3's in fatty fish and the monounsaturated fats in nuts and olive oil. If you eat only fat-free foods, you're not going to get enough of these healthy fats and you run the risk of developing fat soluble vitamin deficiencies.

Foods without fat that you find in the grocery store aren't always as healthy as the manufacturer would have you believe. Fat-free products almost always have too much salt and sugar - which is added to make the product taste better to compensate for the lack of fat.

Foods without fats, especially processed, packaged ones, are also usually low in fiber which makes them less filling and satisfying - which means you'll eat more. Then, there's the "halo effect" where you believe you can eat more just because it's fat-free. Healthy fat-free packaged foods often lack nutrients that are important for overall health, so you could be cheating yourself when you eat foods without fat.

Stop concentrating on eating foods without fat and focus on getting the right kinds of fat - while cutting back on calories and exercising. The best way to avoid hidden, unhealthy fats is to make lean meats, fish, fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains the focus of your diet. The healthiest fat-free foods are fruits and vegetables.