Good Fat, Bad Fat?

Many people are wondering what to think of fat. Low fat diets were the big fad of the early 90s as many processed foods were re-made into low fat options. People assumed that since the foods were now low-fat, they could consume a much bigger serving. Unfortunately, many of these foods had a similar calorie amount as the original higher fat food since lots of sugar was added to these foods (like cookies and crackers). Therefore, eating these foods did not result in weight loss. But there is more to the story than whether a food is low or high in fat.

For weight loss and overall health, it is necessary to reduce fat intake. Why is a low-fat diet a healthy diet? First, consuming a lower fat diet will result in reducing calorie intake which will help to achieve a healthy weight. A healthy weight is crucial for preventing many chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and cancer. At 9 calories a gram, fat has more than twice the calories of carbohydrate and protein (4 calories a gram). Reduce your calorie intake by reducing fat.

Secondly, low fat foods have more nutrients than higher fat foods and a healthy diet is one high in nutrients. The lowest fat foods are whole plant foods. The following chart illustrates this:

What plant foods lack in fat, they make up for with loads of nutrients especially when consumed as whole foods and not as processed foods. This is also important when consuming fewer calories. Despite consuming fewer calories, one should still aim to meet their body’s high needs for nutrients such as fiber, vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, and phytochemicals. These are needed to prevent diseases and maintain a healthy well being.

Lastly, research shows that people who consume low fat diets have better health than those who don’t. These people have a reduced incidence of diseases and normal body weights and body fatness. So while nutrition research continues to determine what precise nutrient intakes are optimal for preventing diseases and overall health, we see in observational studies that the general pattern for health is a low fat diet.

Americans consume too much fat and too many bad fats. Saturated fat is the biggest problem. The biggest source of saturated fat in Americans’ diet is animal foods and more specifically, cheese. Another bad fat is trans fat which is mostly consumed through fried restaurant foods, commercial baked goods, meat, and dairy products. Both of these fats wreak havoc on our health by increasing risk for heart disease and cancer.

Some plant foods are high in fat but also very high in nutrients and should be included in moderate amounts in our diet. These include nuts, seeds, avocados, and soybeans. Omega-3 fatty acids are important fatty acids that should be emphasized when choosing higher fat foods. The widely known source of these fats is fish but plant foods such as flaxseed, hempseed, walnuts, soybeans, and leafy greens also provide this fat. This is especially important information for children, pregnant and nursing women who should avoid exposure to the environmental contaminants found in fish but maintain an adequate intake of omega-3 fatty acids.

While the fat in whole plant foods is a healthier or “good fat,” it is still fat that should be minimized to maintain a low-fat diet. Remember, all fat has more than twice the calories of protein and carbohydrate whether it is good or bad fat. Therefore, too much good fat can mean a bigger waistline too.

In summary, here is a list of pointers regarding fat:

1. Eat a low-fat diet by consuming a variety of whole, low fat, plant foods.
2. Reduce/eliminate bad fats by reducing/eliminating meat, dairy, and fried foods.
3. Consume omega-3 fatty acids from plants food sources most often, and if desired, fish less often.
4. When adding fat to dishes, choose whole foods like nuts, seeds, avocado, and nut butters rather than oil as these foods have more nutrients.

Also posted here.