"fat free" food

[Shalot]

I chose the first option because I was thinking that if you are going to eat some kind of packaged processed snack food, then you're better off getting the full fat version. I don't think the fat-free items are a scam neccessarily, it's just that I think sometimes people will eat more of the low-fat item then they would eat if they chose the full-fat item and take in more calories without realizing it. If you are fully aware of the serving size you're eating (such as with ice cream or low fat frozen yogurt) and you scoop out the recommended half-a-cup serving size, then yes it's better to eat the low-fat version. But, some people will scoop out 1.5 serving sizes because it's low-fat and consume more calories. Also, I think the full-fat servings satisfy the craving, whereas some of those low-fat items just taste weird.

Additionally, I think one should pay attention to the ingrediants list. I have started eating mostly all natural foods. The fewer words and letters there are in a single ingrediant, the better. Some of those low-fat/fat-free items have weird additives that cause digestion issues. I have noticed that I am less bloated and sluggish with the all natural/organic foods. I was wary of it for the longest time but I was kind of desperate for some relief with my stomach issues. It's a little more costly but I shop the sales pretty much. So for someone wanting to be healthier, I would look into the overall health value of the foods you consume and not just the fat content.

[MANICHAEAN]

They whipped out my gall bladder last March and for the 9 days I spent in hospital I was put on what they called a "fat & salt free diet". I went from 120 - 112.8 kilos. In fact I wondered at times whether it was a hospital or a health farm.

The regime was so strict: beakfast (boiled egg white & bread) / lunch (boiled fish or chicken, no skin with green salad) / dinner: an orange / drinks (water or tea, no milk, no sugar)

But, man does it work to get the weight down!

[OrphanPip]

Ya, I've been on a liquid diet because of jaw surgery and I've lost 5 kilos almost. It's been 4 weeks though so it's not that drastic a weight loss, I'm sure I'll gain it all back in no time.

[papayahed]

Additionally, I think one should pay attention to the ingrediants list. I have started eating mostly all natural foods. The fewer words and letters there are in a single ingrediant, the better. Some of those low-fat/fat-free items have weird additives that cause digestion issues.

I know right. I saw low sugar orange juice at the market and I was all . How do you take sugar out of fruit?? I checked the ingredient list and it was all chemicals barely any juice.

[JuniperWoolf]

How do you take sugar out of fruit??

That's a good question, I always wondered about that. Seems unnatural.

My dad once bought fat free sour cream. The taste was okay, but the texture was all wrong. Instead of being creamy it was kind of splintery.

[ntropyincarnate]

6 oz of fat free yogurt has like 70 calories less than the same amount of low fat yogurt. at least the kind i eat. so it makes a big difference. and the fat makes a lot more difference than the sugar because it's so much more calorie dense. i always eat fat free when i can, it tastes just fine (usually) and saves me calories

[ClaesGefvenberg]

Good subject, because this is not easy: Who could possibly keep tabs on what is in our food without turning it into a full-time task? There are worse things than fat. I read the contents however, and shy away from the products with the most E-numbers (additives currently permitted in food within the European Union and their associated E Numbers).

carbs first before protein and fat, and sugar carbs first among carbs.

Agreed.

I checked the ingredient list and it was all chemicals barely any juice.

Exactly. E-numbers again . A list of what they really are and what they are used for is very interesting, albeit a bit frightening. Some of them are necessary, but others... Well... I will not bother you with a list of what each one does, but if you want to know what they are for you can have a look here: What additives do. It makes you wonder what the food would look and taste like without them, doesn't it?

/Claes

[SleepyWitch]

Thanks for the list Claes.
I've heard a lot about mono sodium glutamate lately, because it seems to be in everything. What kind of chemical is it though? What is it that makes it unhealthy Is it like a salt?


I compared the fat free and a full fat yogurt again yesterday and I find the fat free one taste disgusting by comparison and the texture is all wrong, too.

[OrphanPip]

Monosodium glutamate is a salt form of glutamic acid (glutamate), glutamic acid is a common amino acid found in proteins, but it's not usually found unbound to other amino acids in food.

Glutamate happens to be the amino acid that triggers your taste buds which respond to high protein food, so your brain interprets MSG as having a savory flavour. It's found naturally in high concentration in cheeses, soy sauce, and a lot of other fermented foods where bacteria are breaking down protein.

There's no strong evidence that it's dangerous in normal amounts for people. The main worry is that your body is very efficient at absorbing glutamate directly into the blood (glutamate happens to be used by your body for transporting amino acid components between cells, your body breaks extra protein down into glutamate, and then glutamate is further broken down to produce energy), so there is evidence in mice that high levels of MSG in the blood can cause brain damage, but it appears that in humans this doesn't happen.

Mostly, I wouldn't worry about it, there is no evidence that it actually hurts people.

[SleepyWitch]

thanks for the explanation, Pip. I was just wondering about it because I know some hippie/eco people who avoid any food containing MSG. Probably they just don't like it because it's not "natural".

[ClaesGefvenberg]

I've heard a lot about mono sodium glutamate lately, because it seems to be in everything. What kind of chemical is it though? What is it that makes it unhealthy Is it like a salt?

I found this:

Flavour enhancers: Are used widely in savoury foods to make the existing flavour in the food stronger. Monosodium glutamate is an example of a flavour enhancer. Salt is commonly used as a flavour enhancer for food and has been identified as one the basic tastes. Ironically, given its history, this has resulted in large sections of the developed world ingesting salt massively in excess of the required intake, particularly in colder climates where the required intake is much lower. This is believed to cause elevated levels of blood pressure in some, which in turn is associated with increased risks of heart attack and stroke.

/Claes

[OrphanPip]

I probably should of specified, I was speaking of the glutamate part of the MSG, which is what people normally get up in a fuss about. Sodium itself is certainly overrused in food, and has well documented health risk if consumed in excess. High level MSG inevitably means high levels of sodium, of course.

MSG in moderation will do no more harm than a bit of table salt (sodium chloride) in moderation.

[Virgil]

That was excellent O-P. I was going to add the high sodium that goes with MSG, but you got it in too.

[applepie]

I'm not a huge fan of the "fat-free" products on the market, but I think it is more generally towards the "diet" products. I buy low fat dairy only because I prefer them. I can't drink whole milk or even 2% because it is too viscous. It's just too thick for me, so I drink 1%. I also buy lowfat yogurt, but that is a texture thing for me too. I don't like super runny yogurt, but I don't like it so thick that it feels like it is coating my mouth.

As for the merit of buying low fat or no fat products, mostly I think it is just silly. It's much simpler to watch what you're putting in your mouth. I eat a diet heavy on lean meats and vegetables. I eat lots of fruit, cheese, yogurt, etc. If I'm craving sweets, I freeze one of my yogurts. I buy the Yoplait Whips, and they're amazing if you freeze them. It's a great substitution for ice cream. It also doesn't hurt to puree up fruit and freeze it into a granita. I try to avoid things that are over-processed or fried and I skip soda and favor water and tea with no sugar instead. It seems to work out pretty well for me. While I'm not super skinny, I easily maintain my weight, and a good exercise routing 3-4 days a week would have me dropping pounds. The only down side I find in eating healthy is that I notice it much more if I miss a meal. I eat 5-6 small meals or snacks in a day, and if I miss one my hands will shake and such because there really isn't a reserve of food or calories to burn. Other than that though, it is pretty good.

[Dkbogord]

Yes, I use fat free foods because it's helpful for the weight loss purposes
I use more raw veggies foods and organic foods rather than fats, and junk foods for maintaining a good healthy weight.