"Lite" Food vs. Less Food

cbevan

I've been reading a bunch of posts today (when I really should be working) and I was curious whether people prefer to eat greater quantities of "lite" (low calorie, low fat) foods, or smaller quantities of full fat, full calorie foods?

And I should be clear, I'm not asking about foods that are naturally low in calories and fat like fruits and veggies, but more about foods that are advertised as "lite" like lite mayo, sugar free hot chocolate, sugar free puddings, diet soda, etc...

There are a few "lite" or "diet" products I've added - non-fat yogurt, crystal light, sugar free pudding, and right now I'm using "lite" mayo

But I worry, especially about the additives that are in these foods - my previous daily intake would have included one packet of equal in my coffee in the am, and then *maybe* a diet soda later in the day. But with the lite yogurts and sugar free puddings and the like, I feel like my chemical consumption is increasing.

And I do try to keep small portions of full fat, full calorie foods, like peanut butter and cheese and eggs and such. And then fill up the in-between spaces with the fruits and veggies that I KNOW I need.

I think they are more satisfying and keep you full longer than fat free, sugar free, etc.

kthom

I agree and try and eat less, healthier regular food.

Meg28

Just my personal opinion...I'd rather have less of the good stuff

erickirb

smaller quantities of full fat, full calorie food. Although I do eat 2% cottage cheese and 1% Milk, not the lowest fat versions but far from the highest fat

galvestongal

I'd rather have less of the good stuff too. It keeps me from having cravings that send me into binge eating when I finally get my hands on it!

CherokeeBabe

Kind of a balance for me...I use lite dressings for my salad and sugar free puddings, but keep most other things normal, like my milk, cheese, etc.

Disciplined74

I am definately one that goes for light instead of lite. Meaning I just eat less of the regular food than I do selecting foods that are labeled at "lite".

I have a few reasons for this (1) I really don't trust packaging. (2) If you read the labels there really isn't that big of a difference between regular and "lite" as far as nutrition goes. (3) the laws governing when a company can use lite in their packaging is very general and there only has to be a slight difference between the regular and lite so there again I don't feel like it's worth it.

In addition, there is (4) taste and (5) cost. I think regular for the most part tastes better. There are a few exceptions that I have encorporated into my diet like liquid eggs versus a regular whole egg. 35 calorie bread versus any other. But I'm real selective. It's a cost vs benefit analysis. and most of the time I just don't feel that the cost (and taste) isnt' worth the benefit. Also, I have a family to cook for and it isn't teaching them portion control if they see me eating a whole bag of lite just because I can.

For me this is a lifestyle change. Portion control regardless of the food is my goal.

I wish you the best.

Eva

lruff1987

Always eat lots of whole, fresh, "fatty" foods. Don't opt for light (a.k.a. fat free, low fat. low calorie, sugar free) because whatever they're taking out for it be labeled in such a way, they're putting in double of something else (whether that's more sodium, more sugar, more preservatives, more "fillers. It's just not good). Anything I eat that comes out of a package has to have a list of ingredients that 1) isn't too long and 2) I can pronounce.

jillybeanruns

I don't eat "sugar free" ANYTHING. I find it disgusting (especially if it has Splenda). I have mostly kicked my soda habit - but if I have one it is Diet Coke/Coke Zero...so I it is "light" but I can't stand the taste of Coke. I will eat "reduced fat" products - mostly cheese (cream/shredded/sour), but always 1/2 of a serving. Most reduced/light/low products do have added sodium and sugar so I try not to use too much of them. I do think you are better off with using the full fat versions and just using less, but it's an adjustment for someone's who's used to have everything be light/reduced. I can't really say for mayo as I don't use it, but I know there are some that are made with oils that might be better for you - healthy fat?! They might be ridiculously processed though!

vayax

Depending on what I'm eating... There are some things that are sugar free that taste great, others are disgusting... for example I buys this NutriSnack cookies that are sugar free, they come in different flavors and taste the same as others, so I don't mind eating them to save those calories. On the other hand Fat free cream cheese I think is disgusting, so I eat the real thing.

I also love a place that has this amazing ice cream yogurt with no sugar and fat...I love them!!! But if I go to a regular ice cream place I eat a regular ice cream.... no matter where I go I have just a small one and try not to add any toppings to it unless it is natural fruit.

For whatever I eat and always watch calories and portions.

knittygirl52

I read a great article awhile back--I think it's on the message boards out here. The guy who wrote it said "Eat (real) Food. Less of It. Mostly Plants." So true.

I have been trying to eat less "fake" food. I now drink my coffee & tea without sweetener. I believe that has directly resulted in lessening my sweet cravings! Also, naturally sweet food, like fruit, tastes sweeter! I eat non-fat yogurt, but I mix in real fruit and add minimal (if any) sweetener. I'm finding that focusing on the real food that is out there, and avoiding the processed who-knows-what-is-in-it crap, I feel better and I'm better able to resist cravings.

ccolclasure

I don't mind the light and fat free products, and in some cases prefer them. For example, if I make a sandwich for lunch, I have to have chips. Light Lays don't make me feel bad about it, and they are actually good.

One thing that I have started doing that has made a difference is cutting back the amount of food that I make in the first place. If I am making some sort of grilled chicken, and a starch, and a veggie, and a salad on top of all of that! That is how much I would make for dinner every night, and it's just too much food. I cut one thing out of the mix, and no one has really noticed or missed it.

wiggleroom

I try to strike a balance - if the light version is noticeably less satisfying (in texture or taste), then I know it's not going to work for me and I'll wind up eating even more to try to get that satisfaction.

On the other hand -- and this isn't exactly what you're asking -- I have been thinking recently about how the light versions of sweets and treats affect my eating habits overall. Seems like they keep my sweet tooth activated and make it more likely that I'm going to eventually succumb to eating a not-so-light treat.

Ultimately, it's not all about calories (I know, we know that). It's about quality of calories, and if I justify eating a few cookies because they're light (even if they're a satisfying version), then am I really changing my habits? Teaching my body and taste buds to crave different things?

I think that's why I have such difficulty in January every year -- over the holidays, I flip on my sweet tooth and it's hard to turn it back off.

Rambling ... sorry!

wallyg7

Less of the good, real stuff rather than so-called Lite foods for me with the exception of skim milk if that counts as lite. With that being said, I am going to look into lower calorie peanut butter. I snack on that for a quick pick-me-up and i have noticed the calories are really up there. Cheers!

StephieAmber

Personally, I really try and limit the amount of processed food I have. I believe the chemicals in it just can't be good for you. And I've found the same thing, the processed food don't leave me feeling as full as the whole foods. Sure olive oil and balsamic may have more calories than a processed salad dressing, but I know all the ingredients in the oil/vinegar combo and that they're healthy for me. And it's all about balance. I don't believe it's simply about the number of calories we put into our bodies, but the types of calories too.

JMTC

rabbit45

The biggest change I've made with full fat vs. lite was the type of cookbook I use. I've switched to using cookbooks that are for health-conscious, heart healthy, or low calorie meals. I love Cooking Light. I always look for the recipes that don't use a lot of lite substitutes but maybe use ingredients in a different way (for example baking with apple sauce instead of oil). I've noticed that some recipes aren't necessarily low calorie if you had a "normal" portion - but this helps us to keep portions smaller in order to match whatever calories, etc. I'm looking for in that meal. I've cooked "light" for family and friends on several occasions and they've never noticed a difference in taste.