Low Fat Diet
A low fat diet needs to be just that, low in fat. But just because a product at the grocery store states that it is low in fat that doesn’t mean that you should choose it over the regular. Whether it is low fat yogurt, low fast cottage cheese or low fat ice cream, a menu for a low fat diet must included recipes for low fat so watch what you buy very carefully.

Very often manufacturers of low fat foods add more salt or more sugar to their products to improve the flavor as traditionally it is fat that enhances flavor in a variety of foods. Many people are also under the impression that if a food item is low in fat then they can eat more of it. This is simply not the case. If you are on a low fat diet or a fat free diet you will sabotage your well-intentioned efforts if you eat a large portion of a low fat food.

There are plenty of recipes for a low fat diet that are also low in cholesterol and low in sodium intake. Take the time to compare low fat and fat-free products to regular products. For example two tablespoons of low fat peanut butter contains 190 calories or 12 grams of fat while the same amount of peanut butter contains 190 calories and 16 grams of fat. There is not a lot of difference in the two, is there? Consider low fat Oreo cookies as compared to the regular Oreos. Three low fat Oreo cookies contain 150 calories or 4.5 grams of fat while three regular Oreo cookies contain 160 calories or 7 grams of fat. A ½ cup of low fat granola cereal contains 160 calories or 2.2 grams of fat while a ½ cup of regular granola cereal is 210 calories or 6 grams of fat.

A fat free or a low fat diet is important for many health problems but it is clear that the caloric difference between the low fat or the fat free brands and the regular brands is not very great. Always remember that portion control is important but reading labels is also essential as well. Be aware that you cannot eat more of a low fat or fat free food and expect it to not destroy your efforts at a low fat diet. Pay close attention to what you eat.