Low-fat doesn't mean healthy

[bigbobby]

I just wanted to point out that products that have been marked low in fat or fat free are no necessarily healthy for you. I'm not talking about a food that is naturally fat free, I mean when you pick up a can of soup and it's low in fat. Take a look at the ingredients and you'll find that they may have taken out some of the fat but they've replaced it with something else, usually sugar or salt to maintain the flavor. Don't be tricked by marketing. Always be skeptical of products that claim to be "healthy"...usually they're not as healthy as you think.

[antoniojones1968]

Very true bigbobby. I actually find that a lot of pre-made/pre-packaged low-fat stuff is high in salt and sugar. In fact, when you compare the ingredients of the low-fat product to the regular one, you'll likely find in many cases that it's really not much better for you at all. If you want to reduce the amount of fat you eat, the best thing to do is to avoid these products and make your own foods instead of eating out of a package.

[bigbobby]

Very true bigbobby. I actually find that a lot of pre-made/pre-packaged low-fat stuff is high in salt and sugar. In fact, when you compare the ingredients of the low-fat product to the regular one, you'll likely find in many cases that it's really not much better for you at all. If you want to reduce the amount of fat you eat, the best thing to do is to avoid these products and make your own foods instead of eating out of a package.

Exactly anotoniojones1968. The only way to really know you're eating healthy is to make food for yourself as much as you can. I really do find that making as many meals ahead in advance and freezing them has really helped me with work lunches and for dinners when I just want something fast to eat.

[char]

Yeah, I agree wit you that low fat isn't really the healthiest option. Personally I look for foods that are low in sodium, low in sugar and low or have zero cholesterol. Usually, when they're low in these things, I find that the fat content (in a lot of cases) isn't so bad either. Fat isn't bad. It's how much you eat of it and how much of what kind of fat that you're eating that gets problematic.

[bigbobby]

Yeah, I agree wit you that low fat isn't really the healthiest option. Personally I look for foods that are low in sodium, low in sugar and low or have zero cholesterol. Usually, when they're low in these things, I find that the fat content (in a lot of cases) isn't so bad either. Fat isn't bad. It's how much you eat of it and how much of what kind of fat that you're eating that gets problematic.

Exactly Char. I agree that it's far better to look for stuff low in sugar, salt and cholesterol. I also think it's wise when you buy pre-packaged stuff to choose items that contain as few ingredients as possible. The more ingredients listed usually means the more junk in the food!

[Gina]

low-fat may not mean healthy but it's not exactly bad for you either. It's important to just check the ingredients of the foods you eat. For some items I think low fat is actually better, especially dairy stuff.