Is a Fat-Free Diet Really a Good Idea?

There are many diet plans out there.  In fact, there are so many that the choices are simply overwhelming.  For many years, we have heard that eating fat will make us fat, and that certain fats are especially bad for us, like saturated fats.  Everywhere you look, there is no fat, low fat and fake fat, but if it is so effective, why are we all getting fatter?

I have long been a fan of Sally Fallon and the Weston A. Price Foundation.  Based on the extensive research of Weston Price, Sally Fallon wrote a book called Nourishing Traditions, in which she maintains that some fats, and especially animal-based saturated fats, are not only good for us but also necessary for health.

Weston Price studied native peoples in several countries to determine how their diet affected their health.  What he found was that people who consumed a diet high in animal products were healthier and had fewer dental issues.  Despite the fact that this study was conducted in the 1930s and 1940s, dietary guidelines have remained the same for a very long time.

There are definitely times when a fat-free diet is necessary.  A good friend of mine has pancreatitis, and fat is her number one enemy.  I feel for her and the strict diet she must follow.  Perhaps eliminating fat is not always the answer, however.  I think the basis for every diet is a solid foundation of exercise.  First, become active, and then begin following a diet plan, but one that is sensible and doesn’t require you to completely eliminate any one food group.