Fasting or low fat diet?

Low fat or fasting?

Many health professionals say that you can get the same benefits of intermittent fasting from following a whole foods, plant-based, no/low fat diet. Sounds pretty good, eat real food, don’t worry about how much and get the same health benefits as a calorie restrictive diet. It does, but you should always read the fine print before making a decision. Intermittent fasting is a short period of reduced calorie intake, a low fat diet is meant to be a permanent change.

The basics

Fat is one of 6 major nutrients that we need to survive. The others are carbohydrates, protein, water, vitamins and minerals. Fat gives food flavour, mouth feel, helps us feel full, is important for some nutrient absorption. It keeps us warm. Fat produces some hormones.

Fats are calorie dense, every gram of fat has 9 calories. There are four types of fats, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, saturated and trans fats. Trans fats are produced by processing fats. Saturated fats are found in animal products as well as coconut and palm oil. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated will remain liquid when cooled and are considered “good” fats.

The American Heart Association recommends 20-35% of your daily diet can be from fat. I couldn’t find an answer about daily fat intake on the Canadian website. 20-35% of your diet is a pretty generous margin. If you are eating 1500-2000 calories a day, you could eat 300 – 700 calories (34- 78 grams) a day from fat. 

Fat and food

It is easy to eat enough fat. If you eat processed foods, buy a meal, cook with oil, eat nuts or avocados you are getting your daily requirement and more. The average North American eats 3770 calories a day. Most people would be satisfied with about 2000 calories or less.

That is a lot of extra calories and many of them coming from fats.

Lose the fat

Most people would be healthier if they were aware of how much fat they were eating. Hint, it’s more than you think.

If they limited fats to 25% of their daily calorie consumption. 

If they eliminated all saturated and trans fats from their diet. Dr. John McDougall, an advocate of a no oil diet says “the fat you eat is the fat you wear.”

Heart disease and fat

Many studies on the benefits of a whole foods, plant-based diet show that removing animal products, processed foods and fats improves the health of our endothelial cells. The cells that line our blood and lymph vessels. 

Many other doctors recommend and treat heart disease with a no added oils, low fat, plant-based diet. Dr. Dean Ornish and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn have shown reversal of heart disease with this diet.

If you have eaten the Standard American Diet for any length of time you probably have some heart disease.

Diabetes and fat

Eating a high fat diet is bad for your heart, your blood vessels and your muscles. Eating too much fat reduces insulin sensitivity by reducing the muscle’s ability to transport glucose into the cells for fuel. High fat diets increases the risk of developing pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes.

When I was posting about fasting I was also listening to a webinar about treatment and prevention of diabetes. The presentation from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine explained how the research on a low fat diet for all types of diabetes showed improved insulin sensitivity. I mean low fat. 15% fat.

I thought I would try it.

Low Fat Diet

For the record it is almost impossible to eat only 15% of your daily total from fat. My calculations were that I could 20-30 grams of fat a day to be within the target. I had no processed foods, cooked with water, ate real food.

I was over my limit every day. 

2 tbsp of natural peanut butter, 16 grams of. 2 slices of toast 2 more grams. 1 tbsp flax seeds, 3 grams of fat, half an avocado, 15 grams of fat. 

Eating a low fat diet is much more difficult than fasting.

I learned and would recommend, they everyone understands where their calories come from. I am pretty educated about my food choices, I make all my own meals, I don’t eat processed foods and I found this exceptionally difficult. Try it for a week. It might surprise you.There are many fitness trackers and apps to help you. My targets were 15% fat, 15% protein and 70% complex carbohydrates. The easiest part was eating 15% protein on a plant-based diet. The fat totals was a bigger challenge. 

Think you could do it? Let me know how it goes. 

Change your mind, change your health,

Shayla