Avoid the Fat Trap

You are shopping in the snack aisle and those boxes of chocolate goodies, cookies, crackers and cereal bars are bursting with nutritional claims, “fat-free”, “reduced fat”, “99% fat free”, “low fat.” The question remains, “if they are fat free or low fat or even reduced fat, can you eat these instead of their regular higher-fat cousins to avoid gaining weight?”The answer lies in the calories. For weight control, calories still count. Recent research shows you may be able to control your weight better if you fill up on foods that have a lower caloric density.Foods with a caloric density well below 1000 calories per pound, like whole grains, fruits and vegetables, make you feel full faster so you need to eat less of them to feel satisfied. Foods above that trick you into eating more of them to feel satisfied, causing you to eat a lot more calories.Now you know why one of the potato chip commercials boasts, “you can’t eat just one!”Look on the label and compare calories to the weight of the serving size. To stay well on an average of under 1000 calories per pound shoot for:Per Gram      about 1 calorie or lessPer Ounce     about 30 calories or lessFor example, if a fat free cereal bar weighing 1 ounce contains 140 calories, it contains 2240 calories per pound - probably not a great choice if you are trying to lose weight, considering you can eat an apple that weighs 6-8 ounces for under 100 calories (around 160 calories per pound).A few foods that you eat may be high in caloric density but you should keep the average of what you eat on a daily basis well under 750 calories per pound to better control your weight.