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The Cons of a Low Fat Diet
Many individuals mistakenly think that a diet chock full of low fat foods is automatically a low calorie, healthy diet. It isn’t. Jelly beans, soda, fat free ice cream, cookies and pretzels are all low in fat but they aren’t low in calories, especially if you eat them without regard to portion sizes. In fact, a diet that is full of low fat treats can quickly add up to a high calorie, unhealthy diet. It isn’t a coincidence that the weight of Americans has been steadily climbing over the last couple of decades, and they have also been simultaneously tacking on approximately an extra 300 calories daily, on average. Interestingly, the majority of these extra calories are coming from sugars and refined grains (products made with white flour), which are both low in fat. Any excess calories in your diet, whether they are from full fat or low fat foods, can contribute to weight gain.
Reducing fat too dramatically in the diet can also be unhealthy for certain individuals. For some sedentary, overweight individuals, a diet that is low in fat and high in carbohydrates can cause an increase of triglycerides (fat) in the blood, a decrease of the "good" HDL cholesterol, and an adverse change in the size of the "bad" LDL cholesterol. All of these changes add up to an unhealthy combination for your heart. (A high amount of the "good" HDL cholesterol is protective against heart disease.)
Also, a diet too low in fat can also cause you to come up short with some important dietary nutrients, such as the mineral zinc, some B vitamins, and certain essential fatty acids that your body needs. (A fat is made up of fatty acids.) You also need some fat in your diet in order to help your body absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, as well some compounds such as lycopene. Lycopene is found abundantly in tomatoes and tomato products and may be protective against prostate cancer.
- By Joan Salge Blake, MS, RD, LDN. Blake is a nutrition professor at Boston University and a nationally known writer, lecturer and nutrition expert.
Many individuals mistakenly think that a diet chock full of low fat foods is automatically a low calorie, healthy diet. It isn’t. Jelly beans, soda, fat free ice cream, cookies and pretzels are all low in fat but they aren’t low in calories, especially if you eat them without regard to portion sizes. In fact, a diet that is full of low fat treats can quickly add up to a high calorie, unhealthy diet. It isn’t a coincidence that the weight of Americans has been steadily climbing over the last couple of decades, and they have also been simultaneously tacking on approximately an extra 300 calories daily, on average. Interestingly, the majority of these extra calories are coming from sugars and refined grains (products made with white flour), which are both low in fat. Any excess calories in your diet, whether they are from full fat or low fat foods, can contribute to weight gain.
Reducing fat too dramatically in the diet can also be unhealthy for certain individuals. For some sedentary, overweight individuals, a diet that is low in fat and high in carbohydrates can cause an increase of triglycerides (fat) in the blood, a decrease of the "good" HDL cholesterol, and an adverse change in the size of the "bad" LDL cholesterol. All of these changes add up to an unhealthy combination for your heart. (A high amount of the "good" HDL cholesterol is protective against heart disease.)
Also, a diet too low in fat can also cause you to come up short with some important dietary nutrients, such as the mineral zinc, some B vitamins, and certain essential fatty acids that your body needs. (A fat is made up of fatty acids.) You also need some fat in your diet in order to help your body absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, as well some compounds such as lycopene. Lycopene is found abundantly in tomatoes and tomato products and may be protective against prostate cancer.
- By Joan Salge Blake, MS, RD, LDN. Blake is a nutrition professor at Boston University and a nationally known writer, lecturer and nutrition expert.