Low fat alternatives

[talkhealth]

Hi experts,

What are your thoughts on low fat alternatives such as low fat cream cheese, butter or yoghurt. We know that some people are against them as they claim that the fat is merely replaced with more sugar. Is there any truth in this and is it always better to get the low fat alternatives?

Thanks,

[Wendy Green]

Hi Talkhealth,

In the case of low-fat cream cheese, butter and natural/Greek yogurt - they are certainly useful for helping you to cut your calorie intake. However, many nutrition experts are now saying that eating full-fat versions of these foods can actually help you lose weight, because the fat they contain helps to fill you up and keep you feeling full for longer; therefore you eat less. Also, these foods tend to be less tampered with - for example butter is made from just two ingredients - cream and a little salt. whereas reduced fat versions often contain a long list of chemicals - as do margarines.

In the case of low-fat flavoured yogurts, food manufacturers do tend to add a lot of sugar and/or sweeteners to make them taste more palatable, because in general lower-fat versions have less flavour.

I think the answer is to eat the whole fat products - but in moderation and avoid sugary desserts and biscuits. If you find the taste of Greek/natural yogurt too bland, you could try adding a teaspoon of honey, or a little dried, or fresh fruit to give it more flavour.

Many nutritionists are now saying that these full-fat dairy foods contain not just the fat that our bodies (and brains) need, but also the fat-soluble vitamins A & D which are vital for good health; low fat foods contain less of these. Also, many argue that saturated fats in moderation are not bad for your health, whereas man-made trans-fats are; trans fats are solid fats made from vegetable oils by a process called hydrogenation and they are linked with high cholesterol,l which can lead to heart disease, heart attacks and strokes. They tend to be added to processed foods such as biscuits, pies and cakes to increase their shelf life; however many food manufacturers are now reducing the amounts they use due to the health risks they pose.

So in a nutshell - eating reduced fat dairy foods could mean that you go short of vital fats and vitamins and you could end up eating more because they aren't as satisfying; you could also end up consuming more sugar and unhealthy additives.

Wendy