Effects on nutrition from trimming fat?

Ever since I was a kid I've always liked lean meat and hated fat just for the taste, so when I eat stuff like bacon or prosciutto I'll trim or tear away the fat, or before I put a burger on a bun I'll get a couple napkins to press it between first. Have I been missing out on any vitamins by getting rid of these fats?

Replies

  • Anybody?
  • agrasso88
    agrasso88 Posts: 33 Member
    Animal fats etc have VERY little nutritional value, it just adds flavor and more calories, it is saturated fat that will raise your "bad cholesterol" level.

    The good fats are unsaturated, olive oil and canola oil etc, these are the ones you don't want to cut out.

    edit: The forums are not very active at this time usually.
    This is factually incorrect, saturated fats do not raise bad cholesterol they minimise it. They raise the good HDL cholesterol. Cholesterol is only very minimally affected by diet (around 15%) and in the right ratios is very heart healthy. Carbohydrates promote the creation of dangerous triglyceride's and dense LDL particles and should be avoided as these do cause inflammation and heart problems. Saturated and unsaturated fat is also needed by your body to transport nutrients, without enough fat nutrients cannot be transported and absorbed. Saturated fat has been unfairly beaten by governments over the last years.
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    Animal fats etc have VERY little nutritional value, it just adds flavor and more calories, it is saturated fat that will raise your "bad cholesterol" level.

    The good fats are unsaturated, olive oil and canola oil etc, these are the ones you don't want to cut out.

    edit: The forums are not very active at this time usually.

    Way off...
  • Between the meat (even trimmed), eggs, cheese, fish, and chocolate, saturated fat definitely has a presence in my diet of between 15 to 35 grams a day, something which I'm unlikely to change. I eat a couple chicken livers each week, so vitamin A isn't a concern if any of it is held in the trimmed fat or drained grease.
  • agrasso88
    agrasso88 Posts: 33 Member
    Between the meat (even trimmed), eggs, cheese, fish, and chocolate, saturated fat definitely has a presence in my diet of between 15 to 35 grams a day, something which I'm unlikely to change. I eat a couple chicken livers each week, so vitamin A isn't a concern if any of it is held in the trimmed fat or drained grease.

    You will be absolutely fine, especially with the livers, if you don't like the fat which drips off your meats or attached to your meats don't eat it. Personally I love it, but you need to enjoy what you eat. Just don't fear the fat as long as it fits your calories. Currently I am eating between 50-85 grams of saturated fat a day, I have lost 20 kgs and my cholesterol and glucose levels have improved
  • Just my own point of view, but FAT is good stuff, it is needed mostly in the brain and every cell uses it to help create/maintain the cell wall, plus lots of other uses. I choose the "grass fed/grass finished" meat and get the 85% so that I can have more fat. When not fed grain, the cows produce a balanced meat with the right amount of essential fatty acids to protein. The meat doesn't contain chemicals or hormones or pesticides which can contribute to the toxicity of our bodies, which we are attempting to heal and balance. I love eggs too and eat the free range ones.

    I've noticed that even though I am heavy, my skin is soft and supple. Every time I "diet" and cut out the junk and fats, I notice my skin gets dry and flaky no matter how much water I drink. I am making sure I have at least one tablespoon a day of olive oil now along with my 85/15 meat and free range eggs and chicken and my skin looks so much better! Our bodies need the fat, calculate them into your daily eating plan and have fun! Just what works for me :wink:
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    It's easy to supplement fat if you are low on it. Some pistachios or other nuts will do the trick. Have full fat dairy etc. Fat IS important for certain vitamins and certain processes in the body, but almost any fat will do. It doesn't have to be attached to your meat. that said, if you press the fat out or trim it away, the meat still has fat in it, it's just less.
  • melimomTARDIS
    melimomTARDIS Posts: 1,941 Member
    I also prefer (white) lean meats, or completely vegetarian meals.

    I get fat from hummus, guacamole, olive oil mayo, canola oil, trans fat free margarine,nuts/nut butter. So fat is important, but you don't have to eat meat fat to maintain health.
  • calx77
    calx77 Posts: 31 Member
    Fat is needed to absorb fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin A, D, E and K.
  • aeb09
    aeb09 Posts: 424 Member
    Animal fats etc have VERY little nutritional value, it just adds flavor and more calories, it is saturated fat that will raise your "bad cholesterol" level.

    The good fats are unsaturated, olive oil and canola oil etc, these are the ones you don't want to cut out.

    edit: The forums are not very active at this time usually.

    Ugh.

    http://authoritynutrition.com/saturated-fat-good-or-bad/

    Fats are good for you - they absorb vitamins and minerals and are necessary in your diet. Eating fat does not make you fat.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    If you have any heart health issues (or even potential issues due to genetics), this would be a better question for your doctor to answer. There are a lot of theories about cholesterol and what foods to watch, don't just take the word of strangers on the internet with no known credentials and no sited research.

    I have a similar aversion to animal fat...I don't mind pork fat (especially when grilled) for the most part but I always cut the fat away on chicken or steak. Hubs thinks it's so wasteful but I just don't like the taste/texture. I don't blot my burgers but I always drain the fat after browning ground beef or sausage. Some people actually rinse it! But I know I get plenty in my diet from other foods I eat regularly like cheese, eggs, salad dressing, any oils used in cooking, protein bars, etc
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,069 Member
    Fat isn't bad for you. In saying this, I cut fat off of things like chops or rip it from Parma ham and cold meat as I don't particularly like the texture (my dog does :D). As long as you're getting a healthy amount of fat (around 0.4 g per lb bodyweight) From elsewhere I wouldn't worry about it.
  • I thought I was the only one nibbling on my bacon so as to only eat the meat part! Glad I'm not a crazy as I thought! I just don't like the flavor of fat. I trim everything I can off. Since I've started tracking my fat intake though, I can now adjust my diet to incorporate more fats. Apparently, I naturally eat low-fat, so I've learned to eat a bit more things like Nuts. Flax seed, cheese, Greek yogurts with fat, olive oil... So long as you're getting enough fats overall (meeting your macro goals), I say feel free to trim away!

    Out of curiosity, how are you tracking the trimmed foods?

    Also, if anyone was curious, I shoot for a 40/30/30 carbs/protein/fat profile
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Ever since I was a kid I've always liked lean meat and hated fat just for the taste, so when I eat stuff like bacon or prosciutto I'll trim or tear away the fat, or before I put a burger on a bun I'll get a couple napkins to press it between first. Have I been missing out on any vitamins by getting rid of these fats?

    Don't assume it makes much difference in the calories, as there is probably more non-obvious fat than you think and patting it down seems especially unlikely to be effective (and unpleasant to witness), but if you like it I can't see that it would hurt.

    It would seem to make sense to just buy leaner meat if that's what you like, however.
  • Buying leaner meat for many things simply isn't possible for me, unfortunately, I've never seen any store selling bacon or other 'trimmable' meats in such a fashion, always whole. Even for things that are available in lean form, I don't always prepare my own meals, but I don't mind being the weirdo at the barbeque getting out a couple paper towels for their burger. :D
  • Just one last bump to hear from the day time crowd, no vitamins or minerals are being cut/drained away it sounds like?