Very low fat diets, also called VLF diets, call for less than 15 percent of your daily calories to come from fats. The Institute of Medicine recommends consuming between 20 and 35 percent of your daily calories from fat. Fats, along with carbohydrates and proteins, are a macronutrient -- a nutrient that the body needs in large quantities. Before undertaking a VLF diet, understand the potential implications and consult with your physician.
Indication
People seeking to lose weight may follow a very low fat diet. Fat, because it is calorie-dense, is often blamed for weight gain. While reducing your fat intake may help with weight loss, if you continue to eat too many calories overall, you will still not lose weight. People with gallbladder disease, delayed stomach emptying or fatty liver may be advised to follow a low-fat diet by their physicians.
Features
A very low fat diet usually emphasizes naturally low-fat foods, such as most fruits, vegetables, grains, nonfat milk and yogurt and egg whites. Small amounts of very lean meat, nuts and seeds may be included in a VLF plan. The "Eat More, Weigh Less" diet from Dr. Dean Ornish is an example of a very low fat diet.
Health Concerns
Fat is an essential nutrient that the body needs to support hormone production, pad internal organs, foster healthy skin and hair and enable absorption of specific vitamins. Fat digests slowly, so it can make you feel full longer. Fat also makes food taste good, helping you to feel satisfied rather than deprived. Instead of avoiding fat altogether, consider consuming only unsaturated fats, found in plant oils, avocados, fatty fish and nuts, while avoiding solid fats, such as saturated and trans fats, that contribute to high cholesterol and heart disease. Children, pregnant and nursing women and the elderly should not follow very low fat diets because of their specific nutritional needs.
Considerations
If you do choose to follow a VLF diet, opt for naturally low-fat foods. Foods that have had the fat removed usually include added sugars and fillers to bolster the texture and flavor. Fat-free cookies, chips and snacks may contain as many, if not more, calories as their fatty counterparts.
Sample Plan
A very low fat plan might begin with egg whites scrambled in non-stick cooking spray with mushrooms and spinach with a plain English muffin. Whole wheat pasta with assorted steamed vegetables makes a lunch that is very low in fat. At dinner, have black beans with brown rice and salsa. Low-fat snacks include nonfat yogurt, cut-up vegetables or a baked potato.
Concerns
A very low fat diet can lead to health problems. If you take in an insufficient amount of essential fatty acids, you may experience a deficiency characterized by red, irritated skin, dehydration, liver abnormalities and infections. A very low fat diet may lead to deficiencies in vitamins A, D, E and K, which need dietary fat to facilitate absorption. Diets very low in saturated fat, specifically those with 20 g or less per day, correlate with a higher rate of hemorrhagic stroke in women, reported a study in the American Heart Association's journal "Circulation" in 2001.
References
- Ask the Dietitian: Low Fat Food Tips
- Jackson-Siegelbaum Gastroenterology: Low Fat Diet
- "Circulation;" Very Low-Fat Diets; Alice H. Lichtenstein et al; 1998
- Institute of Medicine: Dietary Reference Intakes
- "Circulation;" Prospective Study of Fat and Protein Intake and Risk of Intraparenchymal Hemorrhage in Women; Hiroyasu Iso, MD et al.; 2001
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