"real" food vs "low-fat/light/fat-free" food

bobbiedr

Okay, so my mom was telling me last night that she saw on one of the doctor shows that you shouldn't get the stuff that's low fat or fat-free. She said that what they take out in fat and calories, they add in sugar and other chemicals.

She also said that they said it's better to eat the real bacon and sausage vs getting turkey bacon and sausage.

I eat turkey bacon, turkey sausage, and for some items like mayo & cheese slices I get the light or fat-free. Has anyone else heard about this or have your opinions on this?

Is there anything you refuse to eat the "lighter" version of vs- the full-fat version? For me: Peanut butter and ranch dressing.

psmd

I agree with SOME of that. For example I won't buy fat-free coffee creamer b/c, have you seen the ingredients list???? All chemicals. That being said, I won't have the full fat either, now I just have skim milk instead which is at least natural. Between turkey and beef stuff, I just look at the individual products. Like sometimes I buy 96/4 beef which is healthier than some turkey products.

Also some products I prefer over others, like potato chips where the ingredients are potatos/salt/oil, vs. barbecue or other flavors where there are like 30 ingredients just to get the taste.

I buy and eat NOTHING with high fructose corn syrup.

I really think everything depends on the individual item you're talking about.

nikki1anna

i agree with some of that...

I don't eat low fat or fat free processed foods (anything in a box) nor do I do diet soda.

But I will take turkey bacon over pork any day!

Silverstar46

I think the point the doctor was making is that the more processed the food is the less nutrition will be in it for you. Natural products take longer for us to digest and therefore we feel full longer, plus they are full of the nutrients and vitamins we need to be healthy.

Processed foods like bleached flour (i mean seriously BLEACHED says it all, right?). I heard one time that flour used to get bugs in it but ever since the early 1900's when we learned to bleach it, no bugs will go near it. Think about that.. bugs that eat anything will not go near white flour because there is NOTHING in there worth eating.

Just a little 'food for thought'.

nikki1anna

I agree with SOME of that. For example I won't buy fat-free coffee creamer b/c, have you seen the ingredients list???? All chemicals. That being said, I won't have the full fat either, now I just have skim milk instead which is at least natural. Between turkey and beef stuff, I just look at the individual products. Like sometimes I buy 96/4 beef which is healthier than some turkey products.

Also some products I prefer over others, like potato chips where the ingredients are potatos/salt/oil, vs. barbecue or other flavors where there are like 30 ingredients just to get the taste.

I buy and eat NOTHING with high fructose corn syrup.

I really think everything depends on the individual item you're talking about.

agree

firesoforion

I tend to go low fat. I don't think they add particularly much bad stuff for that but I do agree on fat free. They substitute fat with sugar and in the case of dairy, if you have the fat free you're not getting the benefit of any of the fat soluble nutrients in it. I'm sure that's the case in some other stuff, but with dairy it's a particularly noteworthy thing.

maemiller

just because it says fat free or low fat doesnt necessarily means its better for you. all the fat free stuff has tons of sugar in it so that it tastes better. ill get low fat or make healthy substitutions like instead of a serving of mayo, ill do a 50/50 mayo/greek yogurt or in baking sub oil for sugar free applesauce, something like that and ive also gone to sugar free stuff instead

yes the food market is challenging but its up to you to read labels, find out healthy alternatives, whatever so you can be a smarter and healthier person

mgmlap

Full fat please.....I have been doing full fat since the beginning of November...cause I do a primal diet. I have managed to lose 12 pounds....and going strong.

Bottom line...read your labels and make an educated decision

CarolynB38

If it is a product that is NATURALLY low fat then that is fine, but I definitely prefer to eat the full fat versions of most things because they don't tend to be so processed. I always have full-fat natural yogurt with my fruit rather than the low fat or fat-free versions because that's the way it comes. I'd rather have less of a full fat version than have more of the low fat one (most of the time). I find I stay full for longer having but I'm having the same number of calories. I prefer to use butter rather than low fat spreads because butter is more natural and it tastes way better

Inebriated

I prefer full fat versions of food rather than low fat versions, the full fat versions of food tend to keep me fuller longer and give me more energy. I'd rather have less of something I really like vs more of something I don't care for as much.

Virginia90

It depends. Low fat dairy is fine (as long as it's still real dairy), however, you are right about the "low-fat" and light, etc. processed foods. I try and stay away from most processed foods, and I have to be really careful with the "light" stuff because a lot of the time they take out sugar and add artificial sweeteners, or they take out something else and add a TON of sodium. Artificial sweeteners give me horrible migraines, and the extra sodium isn't really good for anyone. Besides, most of the time the "low fat" products don't even have significantly less calories. A lot of the time it's a less than 50 calorie difference...

But in the end, it all really depends on how you want to eat. Some want to eat 100% clean, some avoid HFCS, some don't care either way - we eat organic as much as possible, raw sugar, wheat flour, lots of fruits/veges, etc. however, there are certain foods I don't really want to give up, so I wont (like yummy ice cream bars that fit into my calorie budget! lol). As for the real bacon, etc. I like the taste of turkey better than a lot of the products I replace it with. My turkey bacon and turkey ham is delicious, and I LOVE my seasoned turkey burgers. Unless they are adding loads of preservatives or additives, I don't see why turkey would be any less healthy than other meats - and with what cows are being fed in the US (corn instead of grass like they are meant to eat), it's also cheaper to buy healthy/natural turkey meat than healthy/natural beef.

And as for your mayo - I really couldn't tell you - you'd have to look at the ingredients - it probably does have all kinds of weird stuff in it. As for the cheese slices, it should be fine because it's a dairy product (again though, just look at the ingredients).

BethJamo71

As far as bacon and sausage, look for "Nitrate Free".

CouchSpud

It depends on the food item I guess. I try to cook and eat stuff drom scratch. If you tend to eat a lot of processed food, then low fat and light is as bad as full fat...

icemaiden17_uk

I really don't like low fat or low cal. Just eat less of those things! I find that these things are just full of chemicals and salt or processed to the point that they have a horrid tase and no nutritional value! One thing I will never buy is sweetner! They are full of asparteme wich is so bad for you! I will stick to my one spoon of sugar in my two cups of coffee a day thank you! I'm sure that wont kill me and I can keep it up for ever!! At the end of the day though it is personal choice and not everyone reads labels and understands what is on them!

I also eat turkey sausages and bacon because I don't eat red meat and havent for years and years and years! They have been fine for me and even though I am obese I have good blood pressure, low cholesterol and no sign of diabetes! They can't be that bad!

tigersword

Turkey bacon is terrible. Real pork bacon is made from pork belly, while turkey bacon is processed crap. They make turkey bacon by basically pureeing unusable scraps from breaking down turkeys and then forming them into bacon strip shapes, then injecting them with flavorings to taste like bacon. Remember, there's no such thing as turkey belly.

Also, pork isn't red meat.

As for the full fat vs low fat foods, it all depends, which do you need to reduce more in your diet, fat or sugar? Fat is good for you, and you need a good amount in your diet.

Also, like someone else said, skim milk is pretty much useless, as most of the nutrients in milk are fat soluble, which means your body can't absorb them if you're not consuming fat with them.

psmd

Hmm, not sure about not absorbing any of the nutrients in skim milk, only questioning this because what if you're eating other things with fat in them? Will need to get more info on this unless someone has a good place to read on this.

MzShutterbug

Full, all-natural fats for me. I get our milk from a local dairy (still has the cream on top so you have to shake it up to mix it in), eat real bacon, full-fat yogurt, etc., and not only do I feel better, but I am losing weight. Almost 6 pounds in my first week.

Virginia90

Turkey bacon is terrible. Real pork bacon is made from pork belly, while turkey bacon is processed crap. They make turkey bacon by basically pureeing unusable scraps from breaking down turkeys and then forming them into bacon strip shapes, then injecting them with flavorings to taste like bacon. Remember, there's no such thing as turkey belly.

Not all turkey bacon/turkey ham is puree of the unusable scraps. Just like I don't eat mystery meat hotdogs, I only buy good quality turkey bacon with no nasty by products or chemicals - the person who makes our turkey bacon uses thigh meat for his bacon. It actually doesn't even taste like pork bacon, it taste more like ham. The same guy makes turkey hotdogs, hams, and sausage. High quality or locally made turkey bacon is obviously way healthier than the store bought stuff filled with the "mechanically separated turkey" and chemicals, but not all turkey products are horrible.

LeanMeanFitnessMachine

My family doctor told my mom and myself that it was better to eat the whole/real foods vs low-fat/fat-free foods (this includes butter v margerine). He said it is because the whole foods naturally go through your system much faster and more efficiently. The chemicals, artificial flavoring, sugars, etc that they add to these altered "healthy" foods make it harder on your system and throws off the balance of your horomones that contribute to a stable, functioning metabolism.

Personally, I eat whole eggs more than I do egg whites. Whole eggs have double the amount of protien and nutrients, including folate, selenium, iron, and zinc. IMO, the pros far outweigh the cons.

http://www.eggnutritioncenter.org/blog/2011/01/25/whole-eggs-vs-egg-whites/

stealthycat

It depends of what type of low fat or fat free food you are getting. A good policy is to read the label and see what they put in there instead. For instance, I buy Fage Total 0% Greek yogurt. " Ingredients: Grad A pasteurized Skimmed milk, Live Active Yogurt Cultures." Pretty natural, pretty clean. I do add some natural stevia for sweetness, and maybe some fresh fruit. You can take fats out of your diet in this way and add them back by a more natural mode such as avocados, nuts, olives, etc. One of the problems with mainstream fats is that animals and humans store the majority of toxins in their fat cells, so when you eat them, you are eating whatever hormones or medications that the animal has been given to make it produce more milk or gain more muscle, etc. This is the reason that when applicable (on sale, etc) organic is a better option. If you can't afford organic milk, it is a better option to buy skim milk than whole milk because (hopefully) you will be obtaining fewer toxins since the fat is not in the product. Ideally raw milk would be the best, but it's illegal for a myriad of myths, which I don't even have time to expound upon. Mizshutterbug has the right idea with milk. I do like to use a "swap method" in how I eat. For instance, I get fat free yogurt and milk, but I eat olives, olive oil and avocados. It helps me balance out my caloric intake. Since your body needs protein to make muscle and only protein will do, is a good idea to try and get more of your calories from protein. Your body can use fat or carbohydrate for only energy or stored energy, but proteins are a multi use nutrient in that they can be used in all three modes. However, all things in moderation as is always stated because carbohydrates are needed for brain function and fats are needed for cell function, so be sure to get it all in, just figure out where you want to get it from. Good luck!

Alexdur85

I try to stay away from low fat when i can because the sugar content is usually higher and I try to limit my processed sugar intake. You figure they have to fill the void (or fat) for it to taste good so they add a bunch of other stuff to it. I try to eat things that are naturally low in fat.

I agree, I tried buying the reduced fat peanut butter called Better N Peanut Butter.. well hate to say it world but it is SOOOO NOT!!! YUCK! I mix it with real peanut butter so I can get rid of it instead of wasting it.

I don't buy light cream cheese or anything like that.. I buy whipped. I've purchased lower calorie shredded cheeses but I am not a fan.

We don't drink non fat milk. If the girls want milk it's whole milk but I mostly buy original almond milk (not unsweetened (gross!) and not flavored). The girls usually drink the almond milk but we're not big milk drinkers to begin with. Alot of our calcium comes from veggies and cheeses.

meaghanls

Read "Skinny *****" to get the low down on some of the "diet" stuff aka aspartame and virtually any other "sweetener" is full of C to the RAP.

As for low fat and co., I think where you're getting it from is the most important. ie: factory farming full of hormones is awful, regardless of low-fat or regular. If you're getting organic, TRULY range free, LOCAL milk and the lot, I say go low fat... then at least you know what you're getting!

When all else fails, stick to things that list one ingredient. Fruits and vegetables are kings and queens.

rollycollysmama

it depends but usually shes right. most low fat or fat free foods have hydrognated oils in them, or chemicles, or loads of preservitives. to make up for the taste. hydrognated oils are bad colestrol and no one wants that. I always get Full fat items and eat it in moderation, or not at all.
as for meat, the reason behind the turkey bacon and sausage is because the sodium not the fat, what you lose in cals u make up with twice as much sodium content. I try to buy only lean meats and 100% natrual grass fed turkey breast.

sfoster3171982

I actually saw that and now I can't remember what show it was but it is the reason I stopped eating turkey bacon because Turkey bacon has more sodium than regular bacon. It also made start looking at labels more. OO what was the dang show

EDesq

Okay, so my mom was telling me last night that she saw on one of the doctor shows that you shouldn't get the stuff that's low fat or fat-free. She said that what they take out in fat and calories, they add in sugar and other chemicals.

She also said that they said it's better to eat the real bacon and sausage vs getting turkey bacon and sausage.

I eat turkey bacon, turkey sausage, and for some items like mayo & cheese slices I get the light or fat-free. Has anyone else heard about this or have your opinions on this?

Is there anything you refuse to eat the "lighter" version of vs- the full-fat version? For me: Peanut butter and ranch dressing.

READ the ingredients. If they FIT what YOU are trying to do, go with them! Also, ASK YOURSELF IF YOU CAN CONTROL portion size. Portion size is the problem most people have. Common sense tells Me that LESS additives, chemicals...and the more NATURAL the product.the more Healthy the Product should be.

Don't ever leave Common Sense out of anything you are trying to do. ALSO remember, just because a product is Natural DOES NOT mean it is good for YOU (Depending on what Health Markers you need to achieve.) EXAMPLE: I have heard Dr. Oz (don't care for his advice in any manner) and other doctors tout tomatoes as a colon cancer fighter(because of the licopine.) And I was an avid tomato eater all My life; well NOW it does NOT fit My Health Goals - I have arthritis and Night Shade Vegetables are OUT of My Eating Plan. So YOU have to have Health Goals and do your own research, then weigh that info with good judgement. America (USA) is wayyyy behind a LOT of the world in Health and Nutrition matters.

KayteeBear

Generally i avoid all that. I like to go closest to natural. I usually do full fat and I NEVER go sugar free or anything like that. And I refuse to use artificial sweeteners. I don't know why artificial stuff would be better than sugar. I just limit my sugar (in coffee and such).

When i have more money I do want to switch some things. I do buy bleached flour right now but that's because it's the cheapest and I don't have a lot of money for groceries.