Low-fat foods are only one component of weight loss. If you aren’t watching how many calories you eat, even fat-free and low-fat foods will be stored in your body as fat, leading to weight gain instead of weight loss.
Fat is one of six nutrients your body needs to stay healthy. The other five nutrients are:
Of these six nutrients, carbohydrates, protein and fats provide calories. Each gram of carbohydrate and protein yield 4 calories/gram. Each gram of fat yields 9 calories.
A calorie is a measurement, just like a teaspoon or an inch. Calories are the amount of energy released when your body breaks down (digests and absorbs) food. The more calories a food has, the more energy it can provide to your body. When you eat more calories than you need, your body stores the extra calories as body fat. Even a fat-free food can have a lot of calories. Excess calories in any form can be stored as body fat.
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Fat gets much of the attention for many good reasons. Consider these facts:
It's true that a diet high in fat can lead to weight gain. But it takes more than just limiting high-fat foods to lose weight. You must also watch how many total calories you eat. Remember, extra calories even from fat-free and low-fat foods can get stored in the body as body fat. Choosing lower-fat options is a good idea to help reduce total caloric intake, but also pay attention to caloric intake from carbohydrate and protein, too. Also, substituting fat with highly processed carbohydrate-rich foods and sugars is an unhealthy trade-off; some foods labeled as “low-fat,” “reduced–fat,” or “fat-free” have more added sugar.
To lose weight, you need to have a calorie deficit. One way you can achieve this is by eating less fat and fewer calories and exercising. Exercise burns calories. (Consult with your healthcare provider before starting an exercise or diet program.)
A diet that is moderate in fat content is important for maintaining a healthy weight and preventing heart disease and stroke while providing adequate and essential nutrients. The Institute of Medicine and the American Heart Association recommend a total fat intake of 25-35 percent of calories. That's about 80 grams of fat or less a day if you eat 2,000 calories a day.
Some food labels make claims such as "low cholesterol" or "low-fat." These claims can only be used if a food meets strict government definitions. Here are some meanings:
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 04/25/2019.
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