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Written by Innovative Medicine Health Staff
November, 2005
Zero Carb. Fat Free. Sugar Free. Low Sodium. America is obsessed with the ‘Low Fat’ diets that food manufacturers produce as a way to make people think they’re eating healthy. But are these diets really healthy, or actually very detrimental and damaging to our bodies? Let’s go ahead and shine some truth on a few of the most common misconceptions of ‘Low Fat’ diets.
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‘Low Fat’ Foods are Healthy |
- Nothing could be further from the truth. Normally, low fat foods are still high in calories. And normally, foods made to be ‘low fat’ happen to be the sweets and junk foods that lack nutrients and have the highest calories. Ice cream, soda, potato chips and numerous other not-so-healthy foods have been synthetically produced to cut out the fat, but the caloric values for these foods are still very high. Many people are also under the misconception that they can eat larger portions of low fat foods without gaining weight. Sadly for them, the high caloric content of these foods will only tip the scale higher.
Another concern for those that live by a ‘low fat’ diet that is low in fat and high in carbohydrates is the 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 (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. Many of these essential nutrients have preventive properties against some of the deadliest diseases affecting us today, such as cancer (lycopene has been shown to be protective against prostate cancer).
Finally, ‘low fat’ foods don’t simply take out the fat that everyone fears; it replaces it with highly unknown and harmful chemical substances. Remember Olestra? Back in January of 1996, the FDA approved Olestra as a fat substitute even with the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, David A. Kessler, M.D., stating that "Olestra may cause abdominal cramping and loose stools in some individuals, and inhibits the body's absorption of certain fat- soluble vitamins and nutrients." And even after more than a thousand people called a hotline set up by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) to gather reports of digestive problems from people who tried olestra (18 of those who called needed to be hospitalized) within the first year it was introduced, the F.D.A. still defended its stance and in August of 2003 decided to remove the past required label stating the risks because “most consumers were aware of the risks associated with olestra and new data showed only a minor increase in digestive problems.” To date, The FDA has received more than 20,000 reports of diarrhea, cramps, bleeding, stained underwear, or incontinence associated with olestra—more than for any other food additive in history.
Bottom line, some fat is necessary for health, and chemically engineered substances made to substitute fat are harmful.
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‘Low Fat’ Diets Help Lose Weight |
- Trying to lose weight? Then do yourself a favor and throw out all those foods and drinks that state ‘low fat’ and ‘diet’. An 8 year study by the University of Texas Health Science Center shows that overweight risk soars 41% with each daily can of diet soft drink. When researchers took a closer look at their data, they found that nearly all the obesity risk from soft drinks came from diet sodas. Reasons for this included the theory that offering your body something that tastes as if it should have calories, yet offer none, causes the body to crave more calories and more food intake. The body is not easily fooled, and chemically altered low fat and zero calorie foods aim to deceive the body. What we take for granted is that our bodies are smarter than what we think, and the body will adapt and seek calories elsewhere – normally by craving more foods with a high caloric value.
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It’s impossible to eat normally and lose weight |
-Most people when asked why they purchase low-fat or zero carb products will answer with something like, “I can’t eat like a runway model and be satisfied. If I eat normal (not low-fat or no calorie altered) foods till I’m satiated, then I will gain weight.” WRONG. Your body lets you know when it needs food, and will let you know when to stop eating. Don’t try fighting your body, because it’s always right. What you have to learn to do is eat the right foods. Surely if you eat McDonalds or candy bars every time you’re hungry, or pound down a Pepsi every time you’re thirsty, you are bound to gain weight. But if you know what types of food to eat when you’re hungry, then there is no reason you have to rely on low-fat, chemically processed foods in order to live healthy and lose weight.
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