Low Fat Diet Plan & best allowed to eat on a Low Fat Diet Plan

 

Low Fat Diet Plan for losing weight

Perhaps one of the most popular ways of losing weight is going on a Low Fat Diet Plan. A very common fear of most people who are about to get into this diet is the fear of eating less tasty food because of the reduced fat on food. But the truth here is, because the taste buds of a person have become so used to eating tasty foods, a low fat or fat-free food would become no longer satisfactory for them. Thanks to the many companies that have come up with the idea of producing low fat food and fat free products, low fat diets are no longer that hard to endure.

As popular as low fat diet may be, there are still lots of people out there who do not fully understand how it works and what other important things we may want to know about it.

What is a Low Fat Diet Plan?

low fat diet plan

A low fat diet is what the name implies. It is a diet that has little fat particularly saturated fat and cholesterol (said to be the leading cause of increased blood cholesterol levels and heart attack). You might ask why low fat diets are made rather than fat-free diets. The reason for this is because we still need fat in our bodies. Dietary fats are essential for good health because fat also supply energy and fatty acids and also supply fat-soluble vitamins such as Vitamins A, D, E and K.

Are all FATS bad?
From the definition you’ve read earlier, you now understand that there are good fats and bad fats. To better understand this, here is an outline below to show the difference between the two.

 Good Fat

• Also known as monounsaturated fats – helps lower bad cholesterol (LDL) as it raises good cholesterol (HDL)
• Mostly found in nuts such as almonds, walnuts
• Can also be found in virgin olive oil

Bad Fat

• Also known as saturated and trans fat
• Typically found in animal products and packaged goods
• Go for lean whole foods and you can forget about bad fat

What are Low Fat Diet Plan for?

Most of the time, people get into this kind of diet for weight loss but not everyone knows that low fat diets are also used for other medical conditions. It is said that a healthy diet should have no more than 30% of fat but because there are various types of diseases that make it hard for the body to absorb even with that amount therefore a low fat diet plan is recommended to people who are undergoing this kind of situation.

• Gallbladder disease

Our gallbladder is responsible for secreting bile which helps the body break down and absorb fats. If a person is having problems with his/her gallbladders or gallstones are present, a low fat diet is recommended in order to avoid complications. Low fat diets can help a person from the risk of pain in the gallbladder during contraction when bile is secreted.

• Gastroparesis (delayed stomach emptying)

Gastroparesis is a condition in which the stomach is emptied to the intestine is working too slowly. When this happens a person can experience nausea, bloating and even vomiting. Fatty foods can add up to the delay of the stomach emptying, worsening the disease thus a low fat diet is recommended.

• Diarrhea
  Diarrhea can be a symptom of an underlying disease or could be caused by many other conditions and when a person experiences diarrhea, a low fat diet would be implemented as fatty food can only worsen it.

• Nutrient malabsorption
  Nutrients are absorbed in our body by absorbing them from the intestine towards the bloodstream. People who have diseases that affect the small intestines and the pancreas have trouble absorbing nutrients and one of which is fat. Until the main cause of malabsorption is diagnosed, a low fat diet may be advised.

• Fatty liver
  There are times when fat may accumulate in our liver due to a number of reasons and this is not normal for it can damage the liver. Complications can be avoided and recovery may be aided with a low fat diet and exercise.

 What foods am I allowed to eat on a Low Fat Diet Plan?

• Beverages such as coffee, tea, carbonated drinks, fruit juices and skim milk
• Breads and Cereals of all kinds
• Desserts like rice and tapioca puddings out of skim milk, fruit whips w/out ice cream, sherbet and jello
• All kinds of fruits
• Three eggs a week cooked in any way just not fried
• Three teaspoons of butter or margarine per day
• Lean meat that is baked, broiled or roasted but with NO fat added, ex.: beef, lamb, liver, chicken, lean fish
• Dry or low fat cottage cheese
• Potatoes, rice, spaghetti, macaroni, noodles—prepared without fat
• Bouillon or broth soup—with no fat added
• Jam, jelly, candies without nuts or chocolates
• All kinds of vegetables

What should I avoid when on a Low Fat Diet Plan?

• Whole, cream, evaporated and condensed milk
• Fried bread, pancakes, waffles, rich rolls, donuts
• Ice cream, pies, rich cakes, pastries, cookies
• Avocados
• Fried eggs
• Salad dressings, cooking oils, mayonnaise
• Fried meat, ham, bacon, duck, goose, fatty fish and fish canned in oil, cold cuts
• Potato and corn chips, fried potatoes
• Creamy soups or soups with fatty meat
• Chocolate, nuts, peanut butter

How can I tell if a food is low in fat?
The best way to tell how much fat a food contains is by checking its label. If a certain food is labeled with fat free then it should have no more than 0.15g of fat per 100g. If it says it’s low fat then it should have no more than 3g of fat per 100g.

How does low fat diet help a person lose weight?
Whatever diet you’re into, the best way to lose weight is to make sure you calorie intake is low. When energy deficit is created, your body turns to your stored fat for energy supply. Among all the nutrients that our body has, fat is the most energy dense nutrient contains the most calories. For every gram of fat it contains 9 calories (1g fat = 9 calories), if you really want to know, alcohol comes closest to fat as 1 gram of alcohol contains 7 calories. With these data, the best way to lower caloric intake is by reducing the fat intake along with alcohol as well.

Advantages of Low Fat Diet Plan

• Reduce the risk of heart disease
• Relieve symptoms of indigestion or gallstones
• Lower cholesterol
• The diet is not only low in fat but it is low in cholesterol, saturated fat and rich in protein

Disadvantages of Low Fat Diet Plan
There is really no disadvantage of following a low fat diet. But be extra cautious about the many low fat products out in the market because they may be low in fat but are high in sugar and sugar contains loads of calories which do not keep you on track of a healthy diet. Make sure to double check the content first before buying these products claiming to be low fat. Always remember, low fat is always better than fat free.