Fat-Free, Low Carb or Regular Foods — What’s Best?
First it was fat-free. Then it was low carb. Are we being led like sheep, or are we moving towards better health?
It depends on what you mean by better health.
In the Beginning — the Fat-Free Craze
Back in the late 1980′s and early 1990′s, fat free was the watchword. Avoid fats and you’ll avoid dense calories. Avoid the calories and you’ll lose the weight.
The theory went that since fats had twice the number of calories than did carbs or proteins, if you cut the fat out of your diet, you cut out a significant number of calories.
On the surface it sounded logical, and in droves we looked for low fat or (better yet) fat-free foods. Manufacturers obliged by flooding the market with low fat and fat free foods.
But stop the presses! In order to make the foods palatable, the food manufacturers had to add calories, in the form of extra sugars. There went the calorie savings.
Besides, some fat in our diet is necessary; we just need the right kinds in the proper amounts.
Next: All Carbs are Evil
The next big weight loss hoo-ha began with the theory that carbs are the bad guys, and if we severely limit the carbs in out diet, we’d lose the weight. Proteins and fats? Eat them with (almost) abandon.
A lot of people tried this, and a lot of people lost weight. At first, at any rate. But over time, a craving for carbs was overwhelming for many people. Breads. Pastas. Fruits. Veggies. These foods that were severely restricted became a siren song, and dieters fell off the wagon in droves.
Is There an Answer?
Maybe, but lots of people won’t like it — it’s called moderation and a balanced diet.
No one food group should be excluded from a healthy diet. Carbs, proteins and fats are needed for optimum health.
No one food group can be eaten with abandon, and still expect to lose weight. Although there may be some foods that can be eaten in almost any amount (like cucumbers, celery, cauliflower, lettuce), we tend to put things on those foods that are counter-productive — the most common being salt, dips and dressings.
Moderation and a balanced diet may mean a slower weight loss, but it’s also a healthier way to lose weight — both now and in the future.