Fat-free Diet
A fat-free diet is one that excludes all dietary fats. It’s commonly prescribed for those with certain health conditions that inhibit them from digesting or absorbing fats. A fat-free diet may be useful for individuals with Gallbladder disease, Gastroparesis (a delayed emptying of the stomach which can cause bloating, nausea, and vomiting), diarrhea, and nutrient absorption issues.
Most foods have some form of fat in them; however, foods are considered non-fat if they have less than one half of a gram of fat per serving. One of the lowest-fat diets is the Pritikin diet, which allows no more than 10% of daily calories to come from fat.
There are a variety of ways to reduce fat during the cooking process – baked, steamed, boiled, and broiled foods are great alternatives to fried and sautéed items.
Foods to include:
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Whole grains
- Lean meat
- Lean poultry
- Lean fish
- Egg whites
- Beans
- Non-fat dairy
Foods to avoid:
- Fried foods
- High-fat meat
- High-fat poultry
- High-fat fish
- Egg yolks
- Full-fat dairy
- Oils
- Avocados
- Coconuts
- Nuts and seeds
- Refined grains
- Sugar
- Trans fats
- Processed foods
Pros:
- May alleviate certain health conditions in which individuals can’t process fat
- May lead to weight loss
- May lead to improved vitality and life span
Cons:
- Some may have misconceptions about their condition and actually thrive on fats
- May be hard for some to avoid fats
- May be difficult to dine out
Sources:
Low Fat Diet www.giccare.com (Links to an external site.)
Non Fat Diet www.livestrong.com (Links to an external site.)
