Should You Choose a Low-Fat Menu Plan?

With today’s over-abundance of food and less hostile environment, most of us have an excess of stored fat deposits. This is a primary reason for rise of obesity among the adult population in America. When fat is broken down during digestion, some is used as fuel right away while the rest is deposited in fat cells for storage. That way, when you need extra energy at the gym or was too busy to eat, your body can use stored fat to burn for energy. Regardless of the reason causing you to consider losing weight, it is important to understand that your body’s fat cells exist to store used energy and will expand to accommodate excess energy by increasing the number of fat cells as well as their size. Regular exercise helps burn the energy stored in both glycogen and fat.

Good Carbs Offer Healthy Benefits

Eating smaller portions of sugar-laden food products will keep your taste buds satisfied without packing on the pounds. Healthier carbohydrates with high fiber content offer benefits such as:

• Slowly digested carbohydrates ensure your body can use the food you eat as energy over several hours. Moreover, slowly digested foods result in a gradual increase in blood sugar to prevent over-production of insulin hormone.
• Good carbohydrate choices help reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes as well as help prevent obesity and keeps your digestive system well balanced and functioning optimally.
• Unprocessed carbohydrates are healthier carbs. Since natural ingredients are not removed during a manufacturing process, unprocessed carbohydrates are healthy carbs. Examples include whole grain breads, beans and cereals as well as vegetables and fruits.

All macronutrients have a place as part of a balanced diet, but sugar should be consumed in moderation. However, sugar does aid fermentation of many common foods and fermentation allows microorganisms to generate energy by oxidizing carbohydrates.

One Fat Gram Equals Nine Calories

One gram of fat equals nine calories, while protein and carbohydrates contain just four calories per gram. This explains why a low-fat menu plan can easily provide food options with less calories, which promotes faster weight loss. If you are considering a fat-restricted diet plan, increase your intake of vegetables, fruits and whole grains. These whole foods are naturally lower in fat. Moreover, you should also avoid refined foods and those high in simple sugars, including sugary drinks and sugar-sweetened sodas. Following a low-fat menu plan can be a positive approach to losing weight, however, it is important that you continue to consume a limited amount of beneficial fats while eliminating unhealthy fats from your diet. Most dieticians agree that following a low-fat diet means limiting your intake of saturated and trans fats.