Consider these points:
- The caloric value of any diet is the single most important factor for weight loss.
- A gram of fat contains more than twice as many calories as a gram of protein or carbohydrate.
It’s easy to see why a low fat diet is good for weight loss. A little less fat means a lot less calories. Plus the fact that most people eat far more fat than is good for their waistline or their health.
But the problem with counting fat intake alone is that while it doesn’t eliminate any particular foods, it also doesn’t ensure that you are eating a healthy diet. Or even a low calorie diet.
The low fat diet fad filled supermarket shelves with low fat and fat-free products, and you still find many on the shelves today. We are not suggesting that these products are not better for you than their full-fat counterparts, but you need to be careful.
Many fat-free products have been filled with sugar (and salt) to replace the flavor that was lost when the fat was removed. Whatever you’re eating, the formula stays the same:Â Consume more calories than you burn and you will gain weight. So simply counting fat intake won’t do the job.