We have been conditioned to believe that if a food is labelled low fat, it must be healthy. Therefore when you’re trying to lose weight, you select the food you eat wisely, choosing the low fat option over the full fat or regular options. But are you selecting wisely. Could it be true, could there be a list of low fat foods that are not healthy, and worst still could these foods be working against your weight loss efforts?
Well according to a recent article published on Iol Lifestyle, choosing to eat certain low fat food is the reason why many people fail at losing weight.
Low Fat Foods That Are Not Healthy And Bad For Weight Loss
Low-fat salad dressing is better than mayonnaise, fat makes you fat and you can’t eat enough fruit, right? Wrong, according to the latest research.
“When a new client comes to see me, they nearly always reel off the list of ‘good’ things they’re doing diet-wise,” says James Duigan, author of Clean & Lean, and personal trainer to the stars, including Elle Macpherson.
“Each time, I shake my head and tell them these so-called ‘good’ diet traits are sabotaging their efforts to slim.” So if you’re trying to eat well, here’s everything you need to know (but probably didn’t)…
Myth: Low-fat salad dressing is good for you
Drizzling a fat-free dressing over your salad isn’t as healthy as it seems, or so says a study.
Scientists found that eating your salad alongside a little fat helps your body absorb the nutrients from the vegetables more efficiently.
“Certain foods become healthier when eaten together,” says nutritionist Vicki Edgson.
“Many vegetables are fat-soluble, which means your body absorbs their nutrients better when you eat a little fat with them.”
In fact, trainer James argues you should never have a fat-free salad. “The more nutrients your body absorbs, the less hungry it feels, plus you’ll get fewer sugar cravings. Adding a little goat’s cheese, olive oil, avocado or nuts to your salad will make you healthier and slimmer.”
Myth: Skimmed milk is healthier
Studies show the health-boosting vitamins in full-fat milk – including vitamins A, D, E and K – are fat soluble, meaning your body absorbs them more efficiently when taken with fat. “It’s also worth remembering that full-fat milk isn’t even that high in fat,” says James Duigan. “It only contains around four per cent of fat compared with, say, cream, which is almost 50 percent.”
So unless you’re drinking pints of milk every day, you’re better off sticking to full-fat milk. Vitamins A, D, E and K have been shown to keep teeth and bones healthy, and boost your immunity.
A study from Cardiff University found full-fat milk can help keep your metabolism fired up and your risk of heart disease down.
Myth: Margarine is better than butter
For years we’ve been buying margarine for its butter-like taste but with less fat and calories. Have we been wasting our time?
“Margarine is highly processed and contains hydrogenated fats which the body can’t break down through the digestive tract and liver,” says Vicki.
“These types of fats are stored in the fat cells of our body, interfering with the way in which we hold on to or lose fat. Butter, on the other hand, is a natural product with barely any additives.”
“Butter contains a natural fatty acid called CLA, which studies show helps reduce your risk of heart disease if you have a small amount each day,” adds James. “CLA also enhances the flavour of your food and satisfies your appetite in a way that a bland processed spread never will.” Even more food myths debunked here.
There appears to be a lot of confusion when it comes to what foods are healthy, what are low fat, what are bad, what are good, what you should eat to lose weight and what you shouldn’t. The question that has me pondering, is why so much confusion, why is it not common knowledge to know what foods we should or shouldn’t eat, and why are we told something different everyday?
After much thought, I can only think the problem to all this confusion is “we are still learning” what we know and discover today, might be proven the opposite tomorrow. We are only human, but the best we can do is keep searching for the truth through trial and error.
The thing is, now that you know there are low fat foods that are not healthy, will you do something about it, will you adapt your diet to suit. Please share your thoughts below, and don’t forget, if you thought this article was interesting give it a “Like”.
No comments yet.