Avoid These Fat Piling Foods at All Costs!

Were you expecting a list of crazy foods to avoid? Surprise! I’m about to reveal something more common – and even more shocking. Processed low-fat foods could be causing your body to store fat at an alarming rate. Luckily, there’s an easy way to stop this from happening. Get ready for the surprise of your life.

How Processed Low-Fat Foods Became Popular

If you remember the 1980s, you might also remember the beginning of the low-fat diet era. Suddenly, egg yolks, mayo, avocados, and butter were to be avoided at all costs. Their fat content caused dieticians and doctors to demonize them after studies led to warnings that decreasing dietary cholesterol and saturated fat were two ways to improve health and enjoy greater longevity.

All of a sudden, packaged food proudly proclaimed its low-fat status. Sugary, fat-free cereals were served with unsatisfying lashings of skim milk, and curiously sweet soups were rendered a little less uninteresting with the help of equally sweet crackers. Low-sugar, low-fat foods were available, but their cardboard-like texture and their unappealing flavors made them unpopular with consumers.

Manufacturers – experts at making even the blandest foods seem more satisfying via complex processing methods and intense flavoring techniques – had made a discovery that would change the face of the supermarket for decades to come. They found that by adding extra sugar to their products, they could get rid of some or all of the fat while managing to please consumers’ taste buds. As the frenzy continued, boxes containing ultra-sugary cookies and crackers led people to believe that they were making healthy choices, all because the contents were “Low Fat!” or “Fat Free!”

People made other fat-free or low-fat choices, too. Suddenly, pasta was everywhere. Bread and rice were more popular than ever because they, too contained little to no fat. Of course, consumers chose fat-free toppings – even fat-free “butter” replacers made with still more sugar to pile on top of the sugar in all those starchy foods.

Instead of getting healthier, many Americans started to gain weight at an alarming rate. Their overall health declined and not surprisingly, type 2 diabetes increased. Since 1980, the worldwide diabetes rate has quadrupled. Experts agree that the increase in diabetes incidence is linked to increased obesity. A number of factors contributed to the skyrocketing diabetes rate. The prevalence low-fat, high-sugar diet is among them.

Why Avoid These Foods?

While we now know that healthy fats are essential for cardiac health and limited quantities of cholesterol aren’t the devils they were made out to be, some of us continue to fall for low-fat labeling traps. There are a few good reasons to start avoiding them.

Many low-fat foods contain the same number (or close to the same number) of calories as their full-fat counterparts, but most of the calories come from processed carbohydrates that rapidly turn to sugar in the bloodstream, and/or added sugars.
The low-fat or fat-free labeling convinces people that it’s somehow safe to eat multiple servings at once, or even consume an entire package of food that’s perceived as “healthy.”
High-carbohydrate, low-fat foods do not promote a sense of lasting satiety or fullness. There’s a good reason why the typical American Chinese restaurant meal consisting of a sweet, saucy entrée over a heaping mound of white rice leaves you feeling bloated one minute and starving an hour later: The sugar that hits your bloodstream causes a massive insulin spike, and insulin makes you feel hungry.
The insulin spikes that come with consuming these processed foods heighten the brain’s perception of the pleasure associated with sweet flavors. This can lead to sugar cravings.
When more carbohydrates are eaten to satisfy cravings, the cycle of craving, eating carbs, feeling hunger, and experiencing more cravings continues.
Insulin spikes prompt the body’s fat storage mechanisms. As cravings are met and more carbohydrate-rich foods are consumed, the body responds by storing more and more glucose inside fat cells.

As it turns out, some of the very foods we choose to combat obesity can contribute to the problem despite our efforts to remain healthy. And as you probably know, being overweight or obese is far more than a simple image problem. The risks are real:

Obesity is a major risk factor in the development of a number of diseases and complications including:
- Type 2 diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Asthma
- Sleep apnea
- Coronary artery disease
- Certain cancers:
  - Breast cancer
  - Colon cancer
  - Endometrial cancer
  - Kidney cancer
  - Liver cancer
  - Gallbladder cancer
- Liver disease
- Gallbladder disease
- Osteoarthritis
- Stroke
- Gynecological complications
Obesity often goes hand in hand with anxiety, clinical depression, and other mental disorders. Part of the problem may be caused by social isolation and feelings of being judged. Now that we know how that the gut bacteria that work alongside peripheral neurons found in the digestive tract are largely responsible for manufacturing our supply of serotonin (about 95%,) there’s an even more prominent link between a healthy diet and feeling good.
Obesity is expensive in terms of health care costs, higher life insurance premiums, and more.

How to Start Replacing These Foods Today

If you have been eating low-fat foods with lots of processed carbohydrates and/or added sugar, it’s a good idea to change the way you are eating. Here’s a list of common low-fat foods that manufacturers often tout as “healthy,” alongside real food options that can help stop the harmful cravings cycle.

Low-fat and skim milk
- Replace with full-fat milk or no-sugar added plant-based milks such as almond or cashew
Fat-free or low-fat yogurt
- Replace with plain full-fat yogurt. Be sure to choose varieties with no added sugar. Instead of going for fancy mix-ins or fruit flavors, consider making your own whole-grain toppings at home or enjoying your yogurt with real, no-sugar added fruit such as blueberries mixed in.
Low-fat crackers and chips
- If you are just dying for potato chips, get a single serving bag and enjoy it. Better yet, choose something equally crisp and salty: A handful of nuts or a handful or roasted, salted sunflower seeds contains far more nutrients and plenty of healthy fat.
Low-fat ice cream and frozen yogurt
- Choose a small, occasional serving of the real thing instead. If you cannot have ice cream or gelato without overindulging, learn to make your own low-carb frozen treats. Full-fat canned coconut milk (the no sugar added variety), vanilla, and a bit of stevia whip up nicely and freeze like a dream. You can switch up the flavor by adding healthy cacao powder for a chocolate version, or you can add a bit of fruit if you like.
Low-fat baked goods
- Enjoy the real thing once in a while in moderation. If you cannot do so “safely” without triggering a binge, learn how to make your own low-carb treats using alternative ingredients such as coconut flour, almond flour, stevia, and more.
Low-fat and fat-free salad dressing
- Have real, full-fat salad dressing instead. Have it on the side and dip your fork into it if you are concerned about eating more calories than you’d like to.
Reduced fat nut butters
- Enjoy the real thing. It’s far more satisfying and it comes without all the additives that go into low-fat versions. It’s best to choose options with two ingredients: Nuts and salt. If you like, you can easily make your own nut butters at home, in a food processer.
Egg whites in a carton
- Unless your doctor has instructed you to abstain from egg yolks, choose the whole egg over these egg white products. The yolks are an excellent source of important nutrients including vitamins D and A, and they are a good source of choline as well. Since choline helps your body produce a neurotransmitter that’s essential for memory and muscle function, eggs can be a very valuable addition to your diet.
Low-fat cereals
- “Diet” cereals are not doing you any favors. Instead of sugary granola or insubstantial flakes, choose a whole-grain option like steel cut oatmeal. Better yet, go for a high-protein, high-fiber breakfast such as a smoothie made with nut milk, natural berries, and maybe even a handful of mild-tasting greens. If smoothies and oatmeal aren’t your thing, consider full-fat Greek yogurt with some berries and nuts mixed in.

No matter how nice those packages look, always remember that food manufacturers use labeling as a marketing tool. If you’re tempted by a product, be sure to read the ingredients and in-depth nutrition guide to determine whether the carbohydrate count and net carbohydrates are a fit for your chosen way of eating. Avoiding processed carbohydrates and added sugar is a great way to kickstart the weight loss process and stop pounds from piling onto your body. With swaps like the ones I outlined above, it’s fun and delicious, too!