Lipids are another name for dietary fats. Many people have the impression that all fats are bad and that they make the body gain weight. This, however, is not always the case. Excessive consumption of unhealthy fats does have a negative effect on the body, but moderate consumption of healthy polyunsaturated fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids, are beneficial in many ways. All diets that contain meats and processed, packaged foods are normally higher in fat content. Diets that include raw, vegetarian and macrobiotic foods tend to have lower fat intake.
Vegan and Vegetarian Diets
Vegan and vegetarian diets do not include any meat products. These diets are by nature low in lipids because they do not practice the consumption of animal fats, which are normally consumed in meats. These diets also do not consume products that are made from animals, including eggs, milk, butter, cheese and mayonnaise. Vegans and vegetarians enjoy many foods that include vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes and beans.
Raw Food Diet
The raw food diet includes eating only foods that are living and have not been cooked. Different from a vegetarian, who may thoroughly cook her vegetables, raw food dieters do not cook their food anywhere past lightly steamed. This diet follows the principle that the living enzymes food are needed to properly nourish the body, and cooking them would devalue these enzymes. Raw food eaters do not eat any meats or meat products in their daily consumption. By taking away the cooking step of preparing food, many potential dietary fats are removed as well. Fats are often added to foods during cooking, such as butters, oils and batters.
Macrobiotic Diet
The macrobiotic diet is similar to a vegetarian one but with a few changes. The macrobiotic eater will not have any red meats or poultry, but he will eat some kinds of fish. Meat products such as dairy and eggs are not included in this diet, and most of the protein is consumed from beans, grains, soy and legumes. Processed and white flour products such as bread, pasta and packaged foods such as chips and cookies are not eaten in this diet. Many of these processed and baked goods contain high levels of saturated and trans fats. This diet is naturally low in lipids because all of the foods are natural and without additives.
Fruit Diet
The fruit diet is a rapid weight-loss method used by some extreme dieters. This diet includes consuming nothing but fruits. This diet is not safe to maintain over long periods of time since there is little protein consumption and fruits alone are lacking in many vital vitamins and minerals needed for general health. This diet is, however, low in fat because it includes no added fat and most fruits contain hardly any fats at all, except avocados. Consult your physician before embarking on this diet. It is an extreme method of weight loss and should be monitored.
Natural Foods Diet
The natural foods diet does not include packaged goods, such as cookies, candy and canned foods, because they are not in their natural state. This principal follows for baked goods as well. Most foods are eaten in their whole, unprocessed, raw or organic form. Natural foods include organic meats, raw dairy products, fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. Fats consumed in this diet are from natural animal products that have not been pasteurized or homogenized. Cooking of these foods would not include butters, but cold-pressed or natural organic oils. Saturated and trans fats from processed foods are not a component of this diet.
References
- ''Staying Healthy With Nutrition: The Complete Guide to Diet and Nutritional Medicine''; Dr. Elson M. Haas; 2006
- Vanderbilt University: Macrobiotics: A Way of Life
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Vegetarianism
