fat free. yay or nay?

Fat is good for you, even saturated fat. Stay away from trans fat and anything hydrogenated.

Most evidence points toward saturated fat raising your LDL (bad cholesterol) levels so it's only good for you in very limited quantities.

Actually this “evidence” has been disproven because the studies that were done contained many other non-controlled factors which lead to the rise in LDL. Under properly controlled studies saturated fats have actually been found to raise HDL. It is the hydrogenation process with vegetable oils (that is in quite a bit of food) and oxidized cholesterol (not natural occurring cholesterol) that negatively impact cholesterol and heart health.

http://www.coconutoil.com/truth_saturated_fats.htm
http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Science/Is-saturated-fat-really-the-dietary-bogeyman
http://leitesculinaria.com/66559/writings-why-animal-fat-is-good.html
http://www.wordofwisdomliving.com/home/is-fat-a-four-letter-word.html

But you realize none of those are reputable medical sites, right? There is conflicting medical evidence for almost anything you can name, but the MAJORITY of evidence is that saturated fats raise LDL. And that's not "good".

Read the first link again and then follow up on the references. The lipid hypothesis has been disproven countless times now.

I don't have to. I can read recommendations from the NIH, AMA, ADA, AHA, Harvard Public Health, the Mayo Clinic, and just about any other organization that compile data from multiple sources to make the best recommendations based on all information currently available (there are many others, but those are the online source I most readily think of). Or I can read the medical journals, though those get pretty "clinical" sometimes. I don't believe in some grand compiracy amongst medical entities. I believe in evidence based medicine.

Fat is good for you, even saturated fat. Stay away from trans fat and anything hydrogenated.

Most evidence points toward saturated fat raising your LDL (bad cholesterol) levels so it's only good for you in very limited quantities.

Actually this “evidence” has been disproven because the studies that were done contained many other non-controlled factors which lead to the rise in LDL. Under properly controlled studies saturated fats have actually been found to raise HDL. It is the hydrogenation process with vegetable oils (that is in quite a bit of food) and oxidized cholesterol (not natural occurring cholesterol) that negatively impact cholesterol and heart health.

http://www.coconutoil.com/truth_saturated_fats.htm
http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Science/Is-saturated-fat-really-the-dietary-bogeyman
http://leitesculinaria.com/66559/writings-why-animal-fat-is-good.html
http://www.wordofwisdomliving.com/home/is-fat-a-four-letter-word.html

But you realize none of those are reputable medical sites, right? There is conflicting medical evidence for almost anything you can name, but the MAJORITY of evidence is that saturated fats raise LDL. And that's not "good".

Read the first link again and then follow up on the references. The lipid hypothesis has been disproven countless times now.

I don't have to. I can read recommendations from the NIH, AMA, ADA, AHA, Harvard Public Health, the Mayo Clinic, and just about any other organization that compile data from multiple sources to make the best recommendations based on all information currently available (there are many others, but those are the online source I most readily think of). Or I can read the medical journals, though those get pretty "clinical" sometimes. I don't believe in some grand compiracy amongst medical entities. I believe in evidence based medicine.

You are free to do whatever you like, I respect that, but challenging ideas is really what science is all about. I would encourage you read the article and references if nothing more than to laugh at it and continue on with your everyday life. It is a good read with a great deal of evidence to back up the claims. I don’t tend to believe in grand conspiracies either, but I do believe in corruption, and where there is money, there is corruption.

If you are interested here is another doctor's take on it.
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400919/Rethinking-Saturated-Fat.html

Take care and good luck in your journey.

Same to you! I just try to stay away from internet sites if I'm not familiar with the source. There is too much crap masquerading as science on the internet.

I say no fat free but I like to do DIY "reduced fat" Like I make my own salad dressing and I reduce the fat by adding extra vinegar or lemon juice and a little less oil... or if I REALLY want a nice sweet treat, I'll use applesauce in place of some of the oil in the recipe. I don't see fats as a waste of calories, but I do try to choose my fats wisely and not overdo it. I use a LOT of EVOO though (we brought back 7 Gallons of the most beautiful olive oil from Lebanon last year and it's over half gone!)

I'm kind of on the fence when it comes to dairy.

I try not to eat anything with the word "hydrogenated" on the label even if the nutrition label days 0 transfats.

I don't use margerine or any of those weird spreads... When I want that "butter flavor" I use butter and then cut it with olive oil.

i wish denmark wasn't such a small & ****ty country (i can say that, i'm native) .. because we have maybe ONE product in TOTAL that comes fat free, i swear! .. i get so jealous when i see someone (i may stalk people on youtube) making a delicious dish & they're using fat free mozzarella.

Trust me, you're not missing anything. Fat free cheese is like plastic - it's disgusting!

Re; the OP, I say NAY. Reduced/low fat, ok but you really need fats in your diet to help with a lot of things so don't avoid them altogether. Just try to stick to the more healthy ones.

ETA: the only fat free dairy I eat is yogurt and it has to be all natural, like the Chobani or Brown Cow greek.

If it's processed, then nay! They make up for taking the fat out by adding sugar, oil, salt and CHEMICALS!!! Even something like skim milk is scary to me because they add tons of sugar to make it skim!

True, fat free food do often have more sugar and or salt. I all ways pick up the fat free first option and compare the labels with a comparable low fat or regular item. I try to pick the lesser of two evils!!!! I mostly concentrate on calories, for now though.