The link between diet and chronic disease has been well documented. Eating poorly can lead to heart disease, diabetes, certain types of cancers and becoming overweight, which has a variety of health risks on its own. One of the biggest benefits to eating a low-fat diet is calorie reduction. Fat has nine calories per gram, compared to carbohydrates and proteins, which have only four calories per gram. While a low-fat diet can trim your waistline, not all fats are bad. In fact, it's important to include some types of fat in a well-rounded diet.
About Fat
Certain types of fat help support important functions in the body and are necessary for proper absorption of some vitamins and nutrients. Saturated fats come mainly from animal sources and can raise blood cholesterol levels and increase your risk for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Trans fats occur naturally in some animal products but are made mostly during food processing. They are also known as synthetic fats and can increase cholesterol levels. Monounsaturated fats, found in different foods and oils, can improve blood cholesterol levels and decrease your risk of heart disease. Polyunsaturated fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids, are found mostly in plant-based foods and oils and can decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Types of Fat-Cutting Diets
The main goal of a fat-cutting diet is to reduce fat intake, lower cholesterol levels, improve health and help you decrease your weight or prevent weight gain. The Pritikin diet emphasizes consuming unrefined and minimally processed food such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans and starchy vegetables along with non-fat dairy and fish. The Pritikin Diet Plan is low in total fats and rich in a variety of nutrients. The DASH eating plan, which is supported by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, is low in total fats and cholesterol. It emphasizes fruits, vegetables, fat-free and low-fat dairy, whole grains, fish, poultry and nuts. Only 27 percent of total calorie intake from the DASH diet is from fat. The Therapeutic Lifestyle Diet, or TLC Diet, was designed for people with, or at high risk for, heart disease. It limits saturated fat intake to less than 7 percent of your daily calorie intake and limits total fat to less than 35 percent of your total calorie intake.
Fat Guidelines
When choosing the right fat-cutting diet, the American Heart Association has some suggestions to consider. Most healthy Americans should limit fat intake to less than 25 to 35 percent of their total daily calorie intake. Limit saturated fats to less than 7 percent of your calorie intake. Limit trans fats to no more than 1 percent of your total daily calories. Attempt to get most of your dietary fat from plants, nuts and oils. When consuming animal products, choose lean meats like fish and poultry and opt for low-fat or non-fat sources of dairy.
Benefits
A 2001 study published in the "Annals of Internal Medicine" found that the DASH diet, combined with reduced sodium intake, can lower blood pressure for all types of people, including different races and those without a family history of hypertension. In a 2007 study, 67 individuals with metabolic syndrome attended the Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa for about two weeks. This short-term therapy was found to reduce body mass index by 3 percent and decrease cholesterol concentrations by up to 15 percent. By the end of the study, 37 percent of the participants no longer met the established criteria for metabolic syndrome.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Dietary Fats: Know Which Types to Choose
- Pritikin: Pritikin Eating Plan
- Your Guide to Lowering Your Blood Pressure with DASH
- American Heart Association: Know Your Fats; May 2011
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes Diet
- National Institutes of Health: NHLBI Study Finds that DASH Diet And Reduced Sodium Lowers Blood Pressure for All; December 2001
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