"Fat Free"? Not So Healthy
Today I'm weighing in on fat free diets.
"College teaches dietitians that fat free is the best solution to everything."
Oh no they did not. The above quote was from a very entertaining and enlightening Twitter Chat called #goUnDiet hosted by Gloria Tsang RD of @HealthCastleGlo. Gloria had asked what the crowd thought of fat free foods, and that was one of the responses.
Unfortunately, that is how many people see dietitians; As fat free pushing diet crazies. It's just not true! As someone who is fresh off the college tour, I can tell you we were never taught fat free diet foods are good. In fact, fat free diets were covered in the fad diet 101 class. Any eating plan that tells you to avoid major food groups (eg. Atkins) is not a balanced life style.
We love natural fats! Fats are crucial for helping your body absorb fat soluble vitamins (ADEK), cushioning vital organs, helping you feel saited, healthy skin and hair...the whole shebang. So why would nutrition professionals ever say "Nope, everything fat free for you! We don't want you being healthy now do we?". Most diets should be composed of about 30% of 
energy from fat. Sources like olive oil, avocado, and nuts are healthy nutrient dense additions for a delicious meal.
What about processed foods? Is fat free better than the regular version? In my opinion, no! Fat free doesn't mean healthy or automatic weight loss. As someone in the #goUnDiet chat said "Twizzlers are fat free but that doesn't make them healthy!". Often the fat free version of the cookies,chips, or candy just isn't satisfying and tastes more like chemicals than the actual food. This depravation and lack of satisfaction can also lead to over eating. How can you be satisfied eating something you're not craving? Will you really ever feel 'full' from the substitute? I would prefer to moderate my intake of the real thing and truly be satisfied.
What do you think about fat free foods?