Regular vs. Fat Free - how do you choose?

[Liz66]

Hey Everyone!

Everything that I've been hearing lately is to try and eliminate as much refined sugar from your diet as possible. Now we all know that foods that are fat free tend to have a lot of sugar in them. However, it seems to me, in the interest of calorie intake, that the fat free/sugary version is a better choice than a full-fat/no sugar counterpart. Take diet mayo, for example. Although it has sugar, it's a LOT less calorically than regular. BUT...does that sugar mess with your hunger later? So how do you decide?

I'm a dork about glycemic levels and carbs in food - I don't know what's high and what isn't (other than the obvious!), so any words of wisdom are greatly appreciated!

Liz

 

[SRP]

Instead of eating the man-made versions of fat-free food, you could try Mother Nature's version... fruits, veggies, whole grains....

 

[hiitdogs]

I totally second what Shannon is saying!!!

But when it comes to fat or sugar, I don't do non/low-fat anymore. I did it many years ago at my OB/GYN's and some nutritionists advise and it totally messed me up. I started having uncontrolable hunger pangs which I never had before and gained 100 lbs in the process. I became the quintessential yo-yo dieter.

Now I disregard everything non-fat, I will do 2 % fat on dairy products but other than that I eat the real thing, just less of it and it works well! I dropped about 30 lbs so far AND I am not hungry. My blood work is better than before.

I think the sugar really messes with your insulin levels.

I don't eat much processed food. I just eat clean, and I eat every 2 to 3 hours, but I will have butter, real mayo, etc. every once in a while and in moderation. That way I don't feel deprived.

 

[debbydarestobefit]

I agree with Carola. The thing to be most watchful for is the High Fructose Corn Syrup ... avoid that as much as possible. Not all fat is terrible (unless you are trying to reverse heart disease), so aim for ~20-25% of your calories to be from fat (hopefully heart healthy ones that have more Omega3s). I used to be a no-fat/very low fat eater too and found it actually contributed to weight-gain, partially due to the HFCS and its effects on appetite and insulin, and partly due to the mindset that it was supposedly healthier, and therefore could be eaten more --- big mistake!. Now, I think moderation is the key.

Deb

 

[NY25]

Ditto to the others. I generally look for low-fat options (never fat free), but it depends upon the item. You need to do a little research, but label reading is super-helpful. If it says fat-free, but you can't pronounce anything on the label, that means it should go back on the shelf. I'd rather eat full-fat than full of chemicals. I use low-fat mayo, low fat milk, low fat cream cheese, yogurt, etc. Full fat on regular cheese, cottage cheese, and anything that's too chemically. The chemicals are much worse for you than the fat, and if you practice moderation you'll be fine. Remember, you need fat in your diet to keep joints lubricated, skin and hair in proper condition and to absorb fat-soluable vitamin/nutrients.

 

[kathryn]

I agree that it's best to avoid the 'low fat' or 'fat reduced' versions of foods. Most are even more processed than the full-fat versions. Though it's best to avoid processed foods that are high in fat(like mayo), or oils in general (which are often highly processed, and are not whole foods) I'd choose a smaller amount of the full-fat version made of all natural ingredients over more of the lower-fat version with 'stuff' added to compensate for the lower fat or with fat substitutes like Olestra that are not at all natural.

Or, you could use mayo for sandwiches, or you could mash up some avocado and use it for the same purpose. You'd get about the same amount of fat, but the fat from an avocado is so much healthier than the fat in most mayos (though there are some mayos made with grapeseed oil, for example, that are better than the typical mayo). There is even some research that shows that fats from fruits (which an avocado is, as is a coconut) and nuts can help your body burn more fat.

 

[Liz66]

Thanks to all! I realize that it's not healthy to try and cut out fat completely. And there are certain things that I won't change - like butter. But that crazy corn syrup is everywhere, isn't it?? I do try and eat foods as close to their natural state as possible, but there are a couple of things I'm on the fence about...

Thank you all for your input!!
Liz

 

[nancy324]

Two words: artificial sweeteners. For the most part, I eat pretty clean, but I can't seem to resist those nonfat artificially sweetened yogurts in the supermarket. I'm sure if they used less sweetener, I would like them even better, but I'm too lazy to mix in some plain yogurt as some here have suggested. I also drink some diet soda. Hey, no one's perfect.

 

[kathryn]

> But that crazy corn syrup is
>everywhere, isn't it??

In almost any processed food we buy! It's even in stuff you wouldn't think of, like dressing, Ketchup/Catsup and some soups.

Could it be that food manufacturers are more interested in making their stuff cheaply than in making it good for us? Hmmmm...

Last week, I was looking for a ready-made green tea in the grocery store, and all of them were sweetened, and with HFCS to boot. (I usually pick up my ready-made green tea at a local health food store, or brew my own, but I had a sudden craving in the grocery store. Sad to say, it didn't get satisfied, because I refuse to buy HFCS.)

 

[geojill]

I look at the label. Usually the low fat or fat free version has far more ingredients, none of which sound natural. And so I don't pick that item. It's just like reduced fat peanut butter. My brother buys it but the fat from peanut butter is good fat and there are more ingredients in reduced fat peanut butter than regular peanut butter.

 

[tneah]

I just try to eat as close to the ground as possible on most days, lots of veggies, fruits, sprouted breads...lean proteins. But I do add Splenda/sugar mix to my am cup o joe. Cannot stand it without sweeteners. I do buy 2% shredded cheddar cheese to sprinkle on things, it tastes better than that fat free variety and better than the full fat stuff.
Back in the day when fat free was the thing, I ate Snackwell cookies like they were going out of style, nowdays, I eat small portions of the real deal. Fat-free sweets I avoid.