Fat-Free = Weight Loss?

I know so many people who go shopping at the grocery store and pick up Snackwell’s, skim milk, “light” sour cream and cream cheese, etc. The “fat free” craze has taken America by storm. Experts rationalize that if what you’re consuming has less fat, you’ll automatically lose weight – fat has 9 calories per gram, whereas carbs and protein have 4. Makes sense, right?

Not so fast. For one thing, just because something is fat-free doesn’t mean it’s low in calories. One thing that food manufacturers do is try to compensate for the lack of fat by adding salt and sugar. When you buy something fat-free, it’s automatically higher in sugar. This may seem innocent, but here’s a quick look at what extra sugar does in your body:

Contrary to popular belief, your body doesn’t store fat as fat. It stores sugar and carbs as fat. When you eat extra sugar and/ or carbs, it stimlates the production of insulin in your body. The insulin signals your body to store fat.

This will give you an idea of how type 2 diabetes is developed and why many have success cutting back on their carbs as well as simple sugars. Remember – fat-free doesn’t equal weight loss.

Claire