Full Fat or Low Fat

Just wanting opinions on whether or not you guys eat full fat or low fat foods.

Thanks!

Depends on the food and it depends on what the fat gets replaced with.   I buy semi-skimmed milk because, as the name suggests, the fat has been skimmed off and nothing added back.  But other low-fat foods are padded out with thickeners, sugars, flavourings and other dodgy bits and pieces to make up for the lack of fat.... if you check the ingredients on low-fat ice-cream, for example, they go on for miles.... and I don't like that kind of thing.

On the whole I'd prefer to eat 'real food' and control the fat content by trimming portion-sizes appropriately.

I eat both. I started buying the reduced fat olive oil mayo, 2% milk land o'lakes deli cheese, lean pockets, and I've always done the 2% milk. All of it tastes great in my opinion, so I don't mind making the permanent switch. But I don't eat lowfat deserts and I haven't stopped eating any of the other foods I love either. I just cut back as well as added some good tasting, healthier alternatives.

I never intended on dieting - I'm trying to make "lifestyle changes". I want to be able to eat what I like, work out regularly and maintain a healthy weight for the rest of my life. I don't see myself living on all low cal, low fat foods forever so I chose not to try and lose weight that way.

Depends... I buy fat free greek yogurt to use in sauces, but then I also buy full fat cheese or add oil to cooking. This way I can mix and match ammount/type of fats in my meals.

UD

Depends.  Some things just don't taste right or have the right consistency when they are low-fat.  Other things taste fine to me. 

I also buy full-fat items if they are mostly eaten by others --DH, DS, or grandkids.  If I only have them occassionally, or maybe use a bit for cooking it's not big deal if it's full-fat or not.  It's the things I eat almost everyday that I tend to look for a reduced fat or low-fat version. 

I definately use skin milk and reduced fat versions of some cheeses and yogurts.  I am trying to eat more natural and hope to avoid most of the weird stuff in low fat food. I have found that if not eaten too much a pat of real butter is not much more in calories than margarine.   Thanks all!

I like reduced fat versions of normally fat foods - but I never go for the fat free (yuk).  Some foods are not good at reduced fat, like some cheeses, so I just make room for those in my diet sometimes (in moderation).

I'll take the opposite stand on nonfat vs. regular fat foods. 

1)  I have been eating Kraft's nonfat (only 45 calories per 1/4th cup) mozzarella mozzarella and cheddar for several weeks now.  I get the great protein and other good dairy nutrients but I get 0% fat.  Sure, the texture is a bit difference, but it surely didn't take me any getting use to using the cheese  on my homemade whole wheat pizzas, whole wheat wraps, shredded cabbage salads, etc.  I love eating cheese, and I have found, for me, that adapting to nonfat cheese with all its healthy nutrients and low calories was a very easy transition to make.

2) I love eating peanut butter.  I found out that Fitnutz peanut butter mix (50 calories for 2 tbs.) was easy to adapt to.  It tastes great in whole wheat wraps and on whole wheat low-calorie bread.  Again, obviously by having the fat removed, the texture will be slightly different.  One gets all the good nutrients that peanut butter supplies, but not nearly as much fat and calories.  I also eat Naturally More Peanut Butter (2 tbs. 169 calories).  It has Omega 3's and is a very healthy alternative to regular peanut butter.

I once drank a heck of a lot of regular Moutain Dew.  I absolutely loathed trying to drink diet Mountain Dew.  However, through the years I have switched to drinking only diet sodas.  Now, I abhor drinking regular Mountain Dew because it is too sugary sweet.  I absolutely love drinking diet MD if I do drink diet soda.

It totally depends on food.
I ration out my food. Some things just aren't tasty when the calories are removed... like devil's food cake... so if I want something and there's a fat-free option I think about it. Calories VS Flavor.

In general, if I'm going to bother to eat it, it better be delicious, so I'm usually full fat foods... just in smaller portions...

I lurvs full fat foods.

I'm with the unhelpful majority - it depends!

I won't eat fat-free cheese. I won't even eat most reduced-fat cheeses - there are a few that are okay, but in general, I'd rather eat the real stuff but watch the amount.

Ditto for butter - I'd MUCH rather eat a little real butter than a lot of fat-free spread that doesn't melt...eeeww.

But for a lot of dairy products, I'm happy with reduced-fat versions. Lowfat cottage cheese, sour cream, cream cheese - all ok. If I'm eating yogurt plain, I prefer full-fat, but if I'm using it as an ingredient, I'm fine with reduced-fat or fat-free

Full fat everything except milk, the fiance likes skim milk and I don't use enough milk to make it worth buying 2 different kinds.

I won't eat manufactured food-like items, so I usually go for full-fat versions, except with dairy I am happy with 1% milk and 2% cottage cheese.  Many reduced or non-fat items substitute sugar or "texture" enhancers like gums, etc. for the fat they take out.  I'd rather have the fat and reduce my portions (or skip it altogether if I don't have enough calories to spend).

Oh, and another healthy lowfat alternative concerns Smart Balance light spread.  It works really great as a spread and it healthier, in my opinion, than butter and has a lot few calories.

By the way, "manufactured" foods can refer to any packaged foods, even high-fat "regular" foods.  When one reads the "ingredient" labels, it is surprising to find out what is put in many packaged foods.

Yes, manufatured foods can be icky when you read the ingredients.  I am more concerned with more whole foods, such as dairy etc.  I guess it just depends on the food in question as to whether the full or low fat item is healthier.

Original Post by pilgrimdude:

Oh, and another healthy lowfat alternative concerns Smart Balance light spread.  It works really great as a spread and it healthier, in my opinion, than butter and has a lot few calories.

By the way, "manufactured" foods can refer to any packaged foods, even high-fat "regular" foods.  When one reads the "ingredient" labels, it is surprising to find out what is put in many packaged foods.

Except for trans fats in it...

UD

The "low fat" versions don't always have fewer calories and in my opinion all the extra ingredients are not worth it. I would rather eat less of something with 3 ingredients than more of something with 15. Even a lot of the low fat cheeses have extra ingredients.

I stay away from the bad fats in general. 

Fats from nuts, avocado, eggs, salmon, and extra virgin olive oil are good and healthy for you. I also eat two little squares of Dove dark chocolate everyday :)

I try to avoid saturated fats, which includes cheese. I love cheese so much but I have learned to have just a little bit every now and then. I get my dairy from skim milk. Sometimes I use butter, too. But other than that, my bad fats are very limited. 

Original Post by umneydurak:

Original Post by pilgrimdude:

Oh, and another healthy lowfat alternative concerns Smart Balance light spread.  It works really great as a spread and it healthier, in my opinion, than butter and has a lot few calories.

By the way, "manufactured" foods can refer to any packaged foods, even high-fat "regular" foods.  When one reads the "ingredient" labels, it is surprising to find out what is put in many packaged foods.

Except for trans fats in it...

UD

 Smart Balance foods are trans fat free.

Original Post by lsam31:

I guess it just depends on the food in question as to whether the full or low fat item is healthier.

 'Healthy'... has to refer to your whole diet and not just one or two foods.  If the majority of your foods are plant-based & if you generally eat wholefoods then chances are you're getting a reasonably healthy diet and that it doesn't matter if one or two items are diet products or whatever.  It's when the majority of the diet is formed around too many artificial foods that anyone should start to think about changing.

Original Post by gddrdld:

Original Post by umneydurak:

Original Post by pilgrimdude:

Oh, and another healthy lowfat alternative concerns Smart Balance light spread.  It works really great as a spread and it healthier, in my opinion, than butter and has a lot few calories.

By the way, "manufactured" foods can refer to any packaged foods, even high-fat "regular" foods.  When one reads the "ingredient" labels, it is surprising to find out what is put in many packaged foods.

Except for trans fats in it...

UD

 Smart Balance foods are trans fat free.

Actually their spreads contain "less then .5 grams per serving", which allows them to claim they are trans fats free. Considering the daily recommended limit is less then 2 grams, and trans fats are present naturally in some foods it is still a lot. Besides who eats "1 serving" anyway?

UD

If my elevator went all the way up to the top floor (which it doesn't), I would wave the white flag.  However, since I only have a red bandanna (or is it a yellow banana?), I would like to relate that I made a homemade whole crust pizza this morning using lean lamb, diced colored bell peppers, diced white onions, fresh tomatoes with medium salsa, and nonfat cheese....and .... it .... was ...

... yummy ... for ... the ... tummy!

Taking fat out of most foods does not make them artificial; it just makes them healthier.

P.S.:  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.