Low-fat diet

Defined as diets which obtain 20-30% of their daily calories from fats, low-fat diet plans have been recommended by dieticians for over 20 years as one of the best ways to lose weight. Typical low-fat diet plans popularized throughout the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s include the Scarsdale diet, F-plan, and the Hip and Thigh Diet.
Without a doubt, these diet plans have been successful for thousands of people who have managed to eliminate large amounts of fat from their diets and shed pounds. New research is starting to show that these plans might not be the ultimate weight loss tool. It is important to differentiate between different types of fats, with some fats actually being beneficial to most people’s daily diet.
A low fat diet has been advocated by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) for many years, with a recommendation of choosing low-fat dairy products instead of higher fat ones and consuming butter and oil sparingly. A low fat diet does have some proven benefits, with many organizations reporting that it helps decrease the incident of heart disease and some cancers.
If you are pursuing it predominantly for weight loss, a 2008 Harvard research study proved that the low-carb Atkins Diet and the Mediterranean Diet plan had a slight edge over a low-fat diet for helping dieters to lose weight. Study author Dr. Meir J. Stampfer had this to say about low-fat diet plans: “It is time to reconsider the low-fat diet as the first choice for weight loss and for cardiovascular health. It is not the best.”