Fat vs Non-Fat products

beth_816

I have a friend at work. Who. When I share that I had chosen the Non-Fat version of a food--for example Non-Fat half and half over the Full Fat version...I get a lecture about how unhealthy it is to do that.

She's kicks into this non-stop lecture mode and kinda goes off...says that the body needs fat. (she says this in several different ways) That the amount of processing the food has to go through renders the product unhealthy. (She's not terribly specific about this)

Contrary to what she might think...I don't have cupboards full of Non-Fat foods. They are not a staple in my daily intake. I don't deceive myself that if it's non-fat I can eat as much as I want. I get plenty of healthy fat in the foods I eat as regular meals.

So my question is...

Is it wrong to choose nonfat 1/2 n 1/2 over full fat?
Are non-fat foods inherently UNhealthy?

Thanks!

SherryRH

In my diabetes class the nutritionist said that in order to make the less fat items taste better they sometimes add more sugar or salt so looking at the label may tell you what was added. I for one like cottage cheese but cannot stand the taste of fat free so I have to eat the lower fat version.

rebecca_d35

I think that sometimes, non-fat is the healthier choice. But if it's a food that needs to have fat to do what it's supposed to do (like fat-free half-and-half), the stuff added to get the right flavor or mouthfeel is unhealthier than the fat itself.

Non-fat creamer tends to have weird stuff like corn syrup solids (!?) as ingredients. That makes it creamy.

creature275

non fat products tend to be higher in carbs, take peanut butter for example, most people agree normal peanut butter is healthier than low fat peanut butter

goforthd5

I agree that you really should look at the labels. The other day I was buying cream cheese. The 1/3 less version had 3 ingredients, whereas the fat-free version had a long list. Just watch the labels. In order to make products stable at lot of chemicals are sometimes added- as in the cream cheese example.

laurastrait21

The only problem I have with non-fat products is when you remove the fat from a product, they often add in more sugar (usually the high fructose corn syrup variety) to keep the taste/texture similar. For diabetics or those just closely watching their macros, this can be sneaky!

Charisse1011

I believe its merely up to that person. Like SherryRH says, if its non fat or low fat,there's prolly alot of sugar to make up for the taste. Read the labels, I try not to exceed over 25g of sugar aday which is very hard. Just watch your sugar in take, but make sure u get your proteins in to out weigh your sugar intake. I hope this helps, and tell your friend to relax, your on a mission...

jamiesadler

not really. I choose full fat and just eat less. You need less to get full taste. However, I grew up on all fat free items. The bad thing with these are they take out something natural and add something unnatural to it to preserve the flavor. It really depends on the product. I buy light sour cream and other dairy products but use full fat butter.

runfatmanrun

Along the same lines as Sherry, sometimes in removing something, i.e. fat, they add something like salt. The same is true for stuff that is sugar free. Besides this is your choice. Whatever works for you for you to get where you want to be.

Sabine_Stroehm

I always check before selecting non-fat, simply because there's often more additives and chemicals, and as others have said, sugar.
I try to eat as un-processed as I can.

SuperSexyDork

I buy fat-free or low-fat dairy products. I have a milk-fat sensitivity that causes me extreme discomfort... No other choice for me. However, a lot of fat-free products have higher sodium levels as they use it to balance out the taste of the missing fat...

Polly758

Is it wrong to choose nonfat 1/2 n 1/2 over full fat?
Are non-fat foods inherently UNhealthy?

Let's not make it a moral issue... but I know what you mean.

My personal guideline is to eat real food, as close to it's natural state as is reasonable. So non-fat milk? This can be done by mechanically spinning the hell out of the milk to separate the fat. Reasonably natural. Non-fat half-and-half? This is done by adding thickeners and sweeteners to fat-free milk.

So if you're trying to eat "healthy", I would say that if a food has been made fat-free by adding sugar or wierd ingredients, or by chemically changing it ("reverse osmosis hydrogenated oil" or whatever they're calling it these days), you're better off eating the regular version of it.

That said, if the only fat-free product you use is the half-and-half, I don't think you'll die any earlier from drinking 2 teaspoons of that a day.

jestersvk

Well the problem with diet foods that I see is that fat is the carier of taste so that's why diet and non-fat food tastes worse than regular and to keep at least some taste preserved the companies usually add sugar (not always but some products might have 50% less fat but they have lot more sugar) but otherwise than that there's not really a health issue with them...

Another thing I like to tell people is that there's really a big difference what kind of fat you eat.... In recent years there has been a trend of using mostly vegetable fat (oils and margarine) and to some point they are good for your heart, but animal fats (butter, lard) are the only ones in which vitamines can dissolve in your body. So if you completely supplement animal fats for vegetable fats your body can't use them for anything else but energy storage and you start getting fat although the add told you that you will be the healthiest person in the world.....

In my opinion all the low-carb, low-fat, vegetarian or vegan diets are a bunch of crap... Your body needs sugar it needs fat and it needs protein... It also needs both animal and vegetable protein as well as animal and vegetable fat.... The only real diet is eating a broad range of foods that contain a balanced portion of those nutrients....

Alliwan

Is it wrong to choose nonfat 1/2 n 1/2 over full fat?
Are non-fat foods inherently UNhealthy?

Let's not make it a moral issue... but I know what you mean.

My personal guideline is to eat real food, as close to it's natural state as is reasonable. So non-fat milk? This can be done by mechanically spinning the hell out of the milk to separate the fat. Reasonably natural. Non-fat half-and-half? This is done by adding thickeners and sweeteners to fat-free milk.

So if you're trying to eat "healthy", I would say that if a food has been made fat-free by adding sugar or wierd ingredients, or by chemically changing it ("reverse osmosis hydrogenated oil" or whatever they're calling it these days), you're better off eating the regular version of it.

That said, if the only fat-free product you use is the half-and-half, I don't think you'll die any earlier from drinking 2 teaspoons of that a day.

this is how we look at it too. If its a 'natural' low/non fat item, then yes, if its higher in calories and/or sugar because of making it non-fat, then no. I all is about choices, not a blanket yes or no to non-fat items.

Buckeyt

In my opinion all the low-carb, low-fat, vegetarian or vegan diets are a bunch of crap... Your body needs sugar it needs fat and it needs protein... It also needs both animal and vegetable protein as well as animal and vegetable fat.... The only real diet is eating a broad range of foods that contain a balanced portion of those nutrients....

I can't wee to see some of the responses to that statement.

Dtho5159

It depends on several factors to me. For example, fat free ranch dressing is NASTY, and everyone who knows me knows how much I love my ranch!! The Lite version is more palatable to me. Like someone else said, if it takes more ingredients to make a product fat free, I stick with the regular version and add less.

bearxfoo

Any food that under goes extra processing to make it "non-fat", "low sodium", "sugar free", "low calorie" is probably not so good for you.

It's hard to remember, but just because a food may be "high" in calories doesn't mean it's bad for you, and just because a food is "low" in calories (or fat, or sugar, or whatever) doesn't mean it's good for you.

I think non-processed, whole foods are always better for than you anything that's been processed, tampered with, or loaded with chemicals lab born that you can't pronounce. So sometimes, yeah, picking a "non-fat" food over a "fat" food may not be the best choice.

It's also important to remember: everything in moderation. "whole foods", or "organic foods", non-processed are expensive and sometimes picking the "non-fat" yogurt is a better alternative for somebody personally.

If I were you, I'd just tell that chick to worry about her own body and let you do your thing.

dme1977

I eat nonfat yogurt, non fat/sugar free ice cream, and drink non fat milk..:drinker: . morally and healthy wise...I am ok with this.
do I eat EVERYTHING nonfat?? absolutely NOT!!

BUT, in our household we tend to have more sugar free items than non fat due to BF being diabetic. . So, instead of having to buy HIM items and US items we just buy most everything sugar free and we ALL eat it.
(now I do buy my 3 year old special things like Oreo cookies and for myself non fat fig newtons... I dont have a problem with sodium so the extra salt doesn't affect me either way... )

Like everyone elze zaid, READ LABELS!!! see what itz being added to the food to replace the fat..
.if itz zomething you can live with, I say go for it :flowerforyou:
if not: pass and buy the "real" version and use it moderately.

I

mgmlap

I do low fat to full fat..depepnding on what I find. The ingredients in non-fat stuff just scares me..Besides full fat stuff isnt bad for you..its the processed stuff that is...

We stopped margarine and started doing butter. I do lowfat greek (hard to find full fat) cause its less carbs..and its good fat..its personal preference like everything else...

SuperSexyDork

I forgot to mention that I need high sodium because of my blood pressure being low. My doctor wanted to give me salt tablets but I would prefer to just get a higher sodium intake in my diet...

jestersvk

In my opinion all the low-carb, low-fat, vegetarian or vegan diets are a bunch of crap... Your body needs sugar it needs fat and it needs protein... It also needs both animal and vegetable protein as well as animal and vegetable fat.... The only real diet is eating a broad range of foods that contain a balanced portion of those nutrients....

I can't wee to see some of the responses to that statement.

Well I know this might start some kind of flamewar with that but as I said it's my opinion.... I'm not forcing it on anybody and I'm willing to accept anyones opinion as long as it isn't stated with hostility....

bxtr87

I do non-fat. I find it perfect for me and my goals. One problem, though, is the fullness factor. I've found making sure the product is higher in satiety-inducing (but better-for-you-than-fat) things like protein and fiber helps this though. Good luck!! Hope this helps.

ahamm002

The old idea of fat being the root of all that's evil has been debunked. Even saturated fat has been shown to be nowhere near as bad as we thought it was. The only really bad fat is trans fat. So, what's the point of eating less filling, less tasty, and possibly less healthy (due to higher sugar or other additives) fat free foods? If it works for you and you still get adequate fat in your diet, then that's fine. But you may do better by eating real foods and just eating less.

beccacoug

I tend to be whole foods girl bc the labels on the non fat items, as everyone else has mentioned, are scary.

I recently read an article (and I'll try and find and post) written by a world renowned heart surgeon. The newer shift in heart disease causes, he believes as well as many heart docs, is not from fats and fatty foods but from the swelling of our arteries. A reaction of sorts to refined sugars and synthetic foods. Plaque build up in the walls is happening bc the walls swell trapping the fats and cholesterol that should flow through normally. Basically the article stated that unnatural substances in the body are to blame for the epidemic of heart disease, not whole milk and hamburger meat. The diets that they have been putting folks on for years and years are what in turn are slowly killing them. Low fat, non fat is mostly replaced by man made, modified "recipes".

I'm making small changes in my life. I drink my coffee black. I skip the chips. I did weight watchers after each pregnancy and I found myself making horrible food choices just so I could eat more. I would choose a wheat bread of 100% whole grain or wheat because there are 30 more calories and a little more fat. I try to do the whole foods thing now. Lara bars are high in calories but they have like 5 ingredients and are a great fast food beakfast or snack. I do like tortilla chips. I am a sucker for nachos so I look for the chips that are more natural not the fake olestra or weird baked ones!

Good luck with your journey and life style!

beccacoug

The old idea of fat being the root of all that's evil has been debunked. Even saturated fat has been shown to be nowhere near as bad as we thought it was. The only really bad fat is trans fat. So, what's the point of eating less filling, less tasty, and possibly less healthy (due to higher sugar or other additives) fat free foods? If it works for you and you still get adequate fat in your diet, then that's fine. But you may do better by eating real foods and just eating less.

exactomundo!

waltfan

Read the label and see what the added in to take out the fat. Some products are fine but some add chemicals to make up for the lack of fat. This is true of a lot of non organic fat free yogurts. Read the label on yoplait vs. yoplait light. Your are probably better of indulging in smaller portions of the higher fat product or eating food that is naturally fat free.

beckajw

I do low fat to full fat..depepnding on what I find. The ingredients in non-fat stuff just scares me..Besides full fat stuff isnt bad for you..its the processed stuff that is...

We stopped margarine and started doing butter. I do lowfat greek (hard to find full fat) cause its less carbs..and its good fat..its personal preference like everything else...

Me too. I do some low-fat things some regular. It all depends on what it is. I do a lot of low-fat/non-fat dairy, because nothing else is added to it, they just remove the fat and I can get so much more food for my calories.

Most other things, I eat "whole", non-defatted. Fat makes it taste better. I feel less deprived and more satisfied.