Low-fat diets are the all-time fad, but are they truly healthy? Here’s what you need to know about going low-fat and why a fat-free diet for weight loss isn’t always trouble-free.

What Happens When You Don’t Have Enough Fat In Your Diet?

Healthy fats enable the body to absorb soluble fats and vital nutrients. By skipping on lean meat portions, you’ll be compromising your hormone levels and immune system functionality. A diet void or very low in healthy fats interfere with building muscle mass and slows down weight loss. Fats help your body regulate metabolism and provide a plethora of vital nutrients which are essential for the growth of healthy hair, nails, and even promotes healthy skin tone throughout the body. Lack of fat in diet symptoms range from poor cognitive function, depression and anxiety, overeating, weight gain, and hormonal imbalances in men and women.

Pay Attention To The Serving Size

Also, how much “low fat” or “fat free” the food becomes depends on the number of portions you consume. While the nutrient content on the food label is usually displayed per serving, you might actually be consuming multiple servings at a time. For example, if a box of pasta is supposed to have two servings, but actually ends up being only sufficient for one person, it is still considered two servings. Hence, you’d have to double the calories and other nutrient values displayed in order to calculate the nutrient content of your meal. 

….And Also The Fat Substitute

Also, just because a product is labeled ‘fat-free’ or ‘low-fat’ doesn’t mean it’s healthier or even lower in calories. One needs to pay careful attention as low-fat or fat-free foods will have sugar and chemicals to make up for the loss in taste / preservative, which renders them poor nutritional choices. 

To put it simply, for any diet plan to work, moderation is key and it rings true where fats are concerned too with healthy eating. Fats are healthy and by cutting them out, you’ll be missing out on their health benefits. Eat small frequent meals, go-low carb, and incorporate healthy high-fat foods like salmon, dark chocolate squares, whole eggs, and cheese, to lose weight. Most importantly, dont forget to  exercise!