Low-lipid diet: what it is and what are its benefits
Today we are becoming more and more aware of how important nutrition is. The foods we consume daily provide us with the energy necessary to face the various daily activities, support our body and mind and are a fundamental part of our state of health. However, an "incorrect diet can lead to numerous physical ailments that can be solved by integrating a new diet, with selected foods to regain the right well-being and get back into shape. A useful diet in this sense is the low-fat diet.
What is the low-fat diet?
As you can guess from the name itself, the low-fat diet is a low-fat diet. For each meal, the fat content must always be kept at a lower level of 25%. Before starting it, however, it is good to know that not all fats are the same. In fact, there are different types and some are useful for our health because they are able to provide us with energy thanks to their nutritional values. We therefore distinguish:
- Polyunsaturated fats: for example Omega 3 and Omega 6. These fats are essential for our livelihood and are often contained in fish such as salmon and mackerel, in algae and in oil seeds.
- Unsaturated fats: such as extra virgin olive oil. These lipids are also good for the body and should never be completely eliminated from one's diet.
- Saturated fats: these are the lipids contained, for example, in sausages, fatty meats, cheeses and other dairy products or those originally packaged, and in margarines. They are the most harmful fats for health.
Therefore, within a low-fat diet, not all fats must be eliminated, but experts recommend banning the saturated ones from your table and keeping under control the amount of polyunsaturated and saturated ones consumed.
The types of low-fat diet
Depending on the needs, there are three types of low-fat diet, the main difference of which lies in the amount of fat allowed for each meal.
- Traditional: the fat content is around 25-30%. It can be considered as a standard low-fat diet equivalent to the Mediterranean diet, where vitamins, carbohydrates, fibers and proteins prevail over fats.
- Moderate hypolipidic: the amount of lipids is between 20 and 25%. In this case, animal fats are reduced and saturated fats are almost completely eliminated.
- Narrow hypolipidic: the level of fats is below 20%, with a net reduction of lipids of any origin, both animal and vegetable. However, carbohydrates are increased with a content of 60-65% per meal.
Who needs this diet
Unless it is the traditional one, similar as we have seen to the Mediterranean diet, the hypolydipic diet must be prescribed by a professional, whether he is a nutritionist or a dietician. In fact, this diet was created for the treatment of certain pathologies and physical ailments harmful to health. Here is who it can help:
- Those suffering from high cholesterol;
- Who has high triglycerides;
- In case of type II diabetes;
- Who suffers from hypetension;
- In situations of gallbladder stones.
The low-fat diet is certainly a diet that promotes weight loss, especially if combined with proper physical activity. However, it is wrong to believe that it is healthy to completely eliminate lipids because within a balanced weight loss diet their level should always be around 25% of the daily calories.
Foods, yes
Going into the specifics, let's see the foods allowed in a low-fat diet:
- Meat: the lean one is preferred, such as chicken, turkey, rabbit or the fat-free parts of the veal, grilled, steamed or baked, without overdoing the seasonings. Depending on your health, you are also allowed to consume red, beef or horse meat once a week.
- Fish: here too lean varieties are preferred. It is advisable to increase the consumption of oily fish, such as hake, sea bream, red snapper and cod. Salmon, mackerel and sardines, rich in Omega 3, can be eaten as long as they are not pre-packaged or smoked and, in any case, in limited quantities compared to other fish species.
- Eggs: 1-2 eggs per week is recommended.
- Cereals: better if whole. Barley, spelled, quinoa, millet, kamut and oats should be consumed daily in the form of bread, pasta or rice because they are digestible and very nutritious.
- Legumes: beans, peas, lentils, broad beans or any other type of legume is good for a low-fat diet.
- Fruits and vegetables: it is recommended to consume 2-4 courses of fruit and vegetables a day, because they are rich in vitamins and very healthy for the body.
- Lean Dairy Products: Dairy products can be eaten as they are an "important source of calcium, but as long as they are lean. So yes to low-fat cheeses and yogurts and skimmed milk, albeit in moderation.
- Condiments: the only one allowed in a controlled manner is extra virgin olive oil, as well as spices and aromatic herbs.
Foods don't
Let's move on to the "banned" foods in a low-fat diet:
- Fatty meats: sausages such as sausages, frankfurters and fatty meats, canned meats and offal.
- Fatty fish: it is better to avoid crustaceans, molluscs, carp and eel because they are rich in cholesterol. As we have already mentioned, salmon, mackerel and sardines should be eaten, however, in moderation.
- Originally packaged and industrial products: no sweets, cakes, sandwich bread, crackers and the like.
- Desserts also artisanal.
- Fatty dairy products: such as gorgonzola, mascarpone, taleggio and whole milk and yogurt.
- Sauces and fatty dressings: from bechamel to mayonnaise and all other industrial sauces.
- Alcoholic and industrial beverages.
The menu
Finally, here is the example of a daily menu within the low-fat diet:
Breakfast: a cup of skim milk or unsweetened tea; 3 wholemeal rusks with sugar-free jam or 150 grams of cereal flakes.
Snack: fruit or rice cakes or low-fat yogurt.
Lunch: 80 grams of lightly seasoned pasta or rice, for example with tomatoes, fresh legumes or vegetables. Plus 80 grams of turkey or chicken.
Snack: fruit or low-fat yogurt (depending on what you have chosen in the morning).
Dinner: fish, if lean 80/90 grams, otherwise 70 grams; vegetables to taste, 2/3 slices of wholemeal bread.
