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Low Fat Food Facts

By Peter Reyes

You chomp down a bag of fat free chips happily, feeling guiltless and thinking, mmm....life's wonderful, great snacks no fat! But hold it there, you might want to think again.

When a food label reads “no fat”, “fat free”, “reduced fat” or “low fat”, it doesn't necessarily mean lower calories. Very often, such products substitute high amounts of sugar or highly refined starches to make the food retain its original flavor and still taste good.

And. don't forget sugar contains 4 calories per gram and sugar converts to fat easily. That means you're really not saving calories from eating this sugar loaded, so called “fat free” treats. You're getting more calories than usual in every bite!

What's more, fat makes you feel full and satisfied, so when you eat fat free foods, you don't feel as full. You're more likely to snack again to compensate – any foods labeled “low fat” or “reduced fat” – which compounds your weight problem even more. It's a vicious cycle, folks!

There are some good low fat products in the market, just make sure you scrutinize the food labels. Compare calories with full-fat versions, especially for foods such as flavored yogurt, ice-cream, chocolate, cookies, crackers, dips, chips and snacks. If you see little or no reduction in calories, it usually means the added sugar or starch has more than made up for the lowered fat level.

Look where the sugars or starches are listed in the ingredients label – the higher they are, the more there is. Also, look out for sugars in different forms, that is, anything ending in "ose".

Learn the difference between “light”, “reduced fat” and “low fat”. Light means the product has 50 percent less fat than the regular version. Reduced fat has 25 percent less fat than the original equivalent. Low fat means a product has less than 3 grams of fat per serving.

Having said that, not all fats are equal. Some fats are healthier than others. You should avoid saturated fats and trans fats (“bad fats”) as they raise cholesterol and increase your risk for developing heart disease. Conversely, unsaturated fat such as vegetable oils, avocados, nuts, and fish oil are “good fats” and can actually reduce levels of LDL cholesterol.

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