Think the best way to better health is through low-fat foods? It might be time to think again.
The fact is that if a food is naturally low in fat, chances are, it’ll do your health right.
Likewise, certain foods that are naturally high in fat such as nuts, olive oil, or coconut are also a sound part of any smart strategy.
It’s foods that are altered to be low fat that you need to watch out for. These ‘diet’ foods, as they’re often marketed, do you more harm than good.
4 Low-Fat Foods to Avoid
1. Fat-Free Yogurt
Topping the list of potentially harmful low-fat foods is low-fat yogurt. You would think that yogurt, being a good source of protein as well as calcium would be a wise choice.
But, this isn’t always the case.
Often when yogurt is converted into low-fat or even fat-free yogurt, sugar is added to improve the flavor.
Take a 6 oz. container of low-fat Vanilla Dannon yogurt. This yogurt provides 150 calories, 7 grams of protein, and a whopping 25 grams of sugar.
That means this yogurt is about 66% sugar content.
By now you should know the harmful effects that sugar has on the body and to steer clear of it.
2. Fat-Free Potato Chips
Another fat-free doozy to avoid if you can is any fat-free potato chips. These came out a while back and seemed like every dieter’s dream come true. The only issue?
They’re made with a substance called Olestra, which in most people, can cause serious digestive upset and diarrhea.
Unless you plan to spend the few hours after eating these next to a bathroom for emergencies, you’ll want to avoid them at all costs. Here's a better way to enjoy the crunchy goodness of potato chips.
Skip all those added ingredients!
QUICK TIP: Use Greek Yogurt to replace sour cream
3. Low-Fat Cookies
Third on the list of unhealthy ‘low fat’ items are any cookies that are made to be reduced fat.
Here’s a quick trick that you can use to determine if a low-fat food is a smart option. Ask yourself, if it was full fat, would it be a healthy choice?
TweetCookies are not a healthy choice regardless of their fat content thanks to the abundance of wheat flour, sugar, and oil added in. Even if you remove the sugar and other fats, you still have the wheat flour and butter in the picture.
Leave them on the shelf and opt for this guilt free chocolate chip cookie dough instead.
4. Low-Fat Peanut Butter
Finally, give that low-fat peanut butter you have in your cart a second thought. Usually, all you do by going this route is replace a couple grams of the fat with sugar instead, so you aren’t that much better.
Also, the fact that it’s low fat is a sign that it’s likely gone through more processing than the higher fat option. This only reduces the health and weight loss benefits it provides.
Natural peanut butter – where the ingredient listing isn’t much more than peanuts and salt (look for brands with less than 1% salt) is the best form of nut butter to be putting in your body.
Remember, the fat from peanuts is a healthy fat so as long as you eat it in moderation, it’s a great addition to any diet plan.
If any of these 4 foods are in your kitchen right now, it's time to toss them out and make room for healthier options.
Yours in Health,
Danette
P.S. Please share this info. and I welcome your comments below.
