Low-fat diets are diets that drastically limit the grams of fat a person can consume during the day. According to experts, low-fat diets, while helpful for weight loss in the short term, may not be healthy or successful in the long term.
Low-fat diets can help you lose weight , but it is more important to make healthy decisions, not just limit fat consumption, according to specialists, if you replace fats with chocolate shakes or sugary drinks like Coca-Cola, you will not have good health and weight loss will be unsuccessful.
Although a person can lose weight on a low-fat diet, it may not be the best option to lose weight. Compared to low-carbohydrate diets, in many studies, participants have generally lost more weight on a low-carbohydrate diet and achieved many more health benefits, such as significant reductions in blood triglycerides.
Benefits of a low-fat diet
The benefits of a low-fat diet are highly controversial, and studies have found very little benefit. For example, a study published in the October 2015 issue of The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, showed that low-fat diets are also not helpful for long-term weight loss.
On the other hand, another study confirmed that limiting fat intake can help limit hot flashes during menopause.
Risks of low-fat diets
Many experts do not recommend a low-fat diet for weight loss. This is because the body needs fat. If you reduce fat too much, it could have serious health consequences, such as mental health deficits such as depression and vitamin deficiencies – vitamins A, D, E and K are fat soluble, which means that the body stores them in adipose tissue and liver. The intestines need fat to properly absorb these nutrients. These vitamins are also necessary for healthy skin, bones, and the cardiovascular system, among other organs and systems.
Also, some fats are very healthy. For example, the omega-3 fats from fish, flax seeds, and walnuts have many health benefits. Other “good fats” include the monounsaturated fats found in extra virgin olive oil, olives, avocados, coconut oil, nuts, and seeds.
How much fat should you take at most?
According to specialists, healthy adults should generally limit dietary fat to no more than 20 to 35% of total daily calories. So if a person’s diet plan is to consume 2,000 calories a day, between 400 to 700 calories can come from dietary fat – fat = 9 calories – which translates to between 44 and 78 grams of fat per day. Therefore, it is advisable to restrict fat consumption to 30% of the daily caloric intake.
