Substituting One Bad Fat For Another

• Make sure that your low-fat diet does not replace one bad fat with another. Pay attention to the actual ingredients in a low-fat product because sometimes they contain trans fats, which are just as harmful as saturated fats.
  
  After saturated fats were linked to heart disease, they were replaced with trans fats, which are found in many processed foods and margarine. Trans fats, also known as hydrogenated fat or hydrogenated vegetable oil, have been linked to ischemic heart disease. Food manufactures are now required to provide the percentage of trans fat in a product.
  
  

Missing The Good Fat

• It is important to differentiate the good fats from saturated and trans fats. In trying to maintain a low-fat diet, we may try to reduce fat altogether, even the good ones such as Omega 6 and 3 oils that are essential for healthy skin and immune system. Our bodies do not produce these fatty acids naturally; they must be supplied by our diets.
  
  These good oils lower triglycerides, reduce the risk of heart attacks and abnormal heart rhythms and slow down the clogging of arteries. Eat nut, seed and vegetable oil have omega-6 fats, while oily fishes contain omega-3 fats. A deficiency in omega 6 and 3 can cause immune-related disorders and heart diseases.
  
  

Nutritional Deficiencies

• Vitamins A, D, E and K are those that travel with fat and are found in foods with high-fat content. A low-fat diet would most likely exclude these fat-soluble vitamins, which could have other health implications.
  
  A vitamin K deficiency can cause nosebleeds and an increased sensitivity to bruising, while diets that lack vitamin A can cause keratinization of the respiratory passage epithelium, cancer and night blindness. Keratinization is the process by which the cells beneath the skin turn into hair or nails due to lack of moisture.
  
  In addition, not getting enough vitamin D can prevent the absorption of calcium and increase the risk of bone diseases. Vitamin E promotes the healthy tissue development and help in the creation of normal red blood cells. Insufficient vitamin E intake can cause diseases such as muscular dystrophy.