Do You Have To Give Up Fatty Foods Completely When on a Diet?
Our expert: Natalia Bogdankevich, Nutritionist and Dietitian
A few years ago, the common belief among those dieting was that fat should be avoided, and fat-free foods could help lose weight faster. However, that belief has changed in recent years.
An overview
The first thing to remember is that it does not matter what your body’s caloric surplus is formed due to. The only way to lose weight is to consume fewer calories than you burn. And while it’s true that fats do contain a lot of calories, it’s bad for your health to eliminate them completely from your diet.
Here is why: — Total fat-free diets lead to metabolic disturbances and digestive disorders — Without enough fat in the diet fewer steroid hormones are produced, the lack of which leads to slower weight loss — Absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, including the vital vitamins A, D, and E, is impaired — Even in large quantities, low-fat or fat-free food can still leave a person hungry — People who eat fat-free foods are three times more likely to snack and go off their diets because of hunger
The amount of fat in the diet should be at least 10 percent of all food intake.
Not all fats are the same
You should eliminate foods that contain large amounts of trans fats from your diet, especially when you’re trying to lose weight. This includes animal fats like butter, buttercream that is used in industrial cakes and pastries, margarine, chocolate, frosting, chips, and fast food. However, there are also healthy fats — including those that contain polyunsaturated acids, which are essential for the human body.
Where can you find them in foods?
Fatty varieties of fish: This especially includes arctic varieties such as salmon, northern cod, and sardines.
Oils: This includes more than just olive oil! Sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, and sesame oil are all useful if you limit the amount consumed to a tablespoon per day. Additionally, the lauric acid in coconut oil not only dulls hunger but also has an antibacterial effect and speeds up metabolism.
Nuts: The healthy fats in nuts make them the perfect snack as long as you eat raw nuts that have not been salted or fried in oil. A handful of cashews, almonds, walnuts, or hazelnuts is a healthy snack that will relieve feelings of hunger. Eat approximately 10–15 nuts as a snack.
Seeds: Flaxseeds are especially healthy. Pumpkin seeds and even sunflower seeds are also rich in monounsaturated fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid.
Avocados: The oleic acid helps relieve hunger for 2–3 hours after eating just a quarter of it!
Cheese: An ideal source of protein, calcium, vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids, hard cheese helps maintain constant energy levels and improve brain function. It is recommended to consume no more than 3 ounces per day. Keep in mind that it is always best to eat low-fat or fat-free cheese that is not processed.
