Low Fat or No Fat Raw Vegan Diet?
If you’re at all familiar with Fit On Raw, you know that I do not subscribe to the mainstream, high fat raw food diet.
Unlike many raw food gurus out there, I don’t believe that you can eat as much raw fatty foods (e.g. avocados, nuts, and seeds) as you like and experience optimal health. Instead, the raw vegan diet that I follow and encourage is high in fruit and low in fat.
Why? There are several reasons to limit your fat intake, but perhaps the biggest reason is that excess fat in the diet leads to high blood sugar.
(For more info on the dangers of fat in the diet, read my article here.)
So now you may be wondering…If a low fat diet is so good, wouldn’t a no fat diet be even better?
Whoa now, hold your horses. Just because a low fat diet is healthy does not mean a fat-free diet is superior. In fact, quite the opposite!
Fat is Your Friend
While humans don’t need much fat in our diets, we do need some.
Dietary fat is absolutely vital for cell and hormone production, insulation of organs and nerves, regulation of nutrient uptake and waste excretion, brain and eye functioning, etc.
It makes sense then that all fruits and vegetables contain small amounts of fat, which brings me to my second point…
Fat is in Everything
It is next to impossible to consume a completely fat-free diet. Even if you are eating nothing but fruits and vegetables, you are still consuming fat.
For example, bananas contain about 3% of their calories from fat while green leaf lettuce is about 8% fat. The only way you would be able to eat totally fat-free would be if you consumed nothing but refined sugars.
Low Fat, Not No Fat
A low fat diet is not the same as a no-fat diet. Not only is a no-fat diet unhealthy, but it is practically impossible to follow.
You would have to consume nothing but sweeteners like Honey and Agave or live on junk food favorites like Coca-Cola and Gummi Bears to truly follow a fat-free diet. This alone makes it pretty clear that no fat is NOT healthy.
Go raw and be fit,
Swayze
P.S. Wondering how in the world you can eat a low fat diet and still enjoy your food? My e-book , filled with 35+ delicious 100% raw recipes, will show you how:
“Low Fat, Fruit Filled, High Fun Raw Recipes”
Delicious and Healthy Raw Vegan Favorites for Every Meal
9 comments
Swayze,
I need your program because I need your help! I’ve tried so many “diets” out there and can’t seem to stick to any because they are labor intensive. I’ve wasted so much money by buying fresh produce and then letting it go to waste because I’m too lazy and unmotivated to wash, chop, slice, dice, soak, marinate, etc, etc, in order to eat it. Plus, I have 4 sets of little eyes expecting me to feed them nutritiously. I often feel like a failure because I serve them junk. I constantly feel guilty. Help me break this cycle of guilt!
[Reply]
Hi Swayze, I would love to be on your 30 day programme. I need to do something like this to break old eating habits and replace with new ones. I have managed to replace breakfast with green smoothies (usually banan, spinach and seasonal berries) but find it very difficult to do the other meals. I was diagnosed with IBS and an enlarged colon about a year ago. I believe this was caused by a phobia of public toilets and I was in boarding school for 7 years!! I will take my husband, who also has a funny tummy – but he goes too much (!) and my 18 year old son who is prone to acne on a raw journey. If I serve them a salad for super they want to know what is for super – for real. Or my son will go fill up on peanut butter sarnies. I live in the county of Devon, England where there is an ample supply or healthy organic food. All I need is the support of a programme like this to keep me motivated and on track whilst learning the ropes. Holding thumbs.
[Reply]
Swayze,
I feel that everyone deserves the free spot in your program so I find it hard to “sell myself” but here’s my short story. I am 27 years old about 300 lbs and I work in an office. I’m so tired when i get home that I usually don’t take the time to prepare something healthly for my husband and I. I have high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and depression. I, like so many, have bounced around from diet to diet. I have never found the one that just clicked with me. My husband is physically healthy and much more active than myself I find it hard to keep up with him. I find it hard to keep up with my sisters and my mother too. I am ready to do this. I have been doing research for many months now and it’s time for action. Thanks again for all you do.
[Reply]
I am starting my NO fat vegan adventure Saturday. You site is extremely helpful. I am on extremely low income so my journey will be more difficult. Your website is one of the most helpful from the hundreds I have been reading and taking notes from. I wish I had the money to purchase but medicine must come first. Thank you from someone whose life literally depends on this food plan working.
[Reply]
Swayze Reply:
September 20th, 2011 at 11:55 AM
Hi Tammy,
As I said in the article, the diet I recommend is a low fat diet, not a no fat diet. Check out this article for more info:
http://www.fitonraw.com/2011/04/should-you-cut-out-all-overt-fats/
Good luck!
Swayze
[Reply]
Tammy Reply:
September 21st, 2011 at 11:42 AM
I understand your position on cutting out all fat but I have a unique medical situation. I have to cut all fat for several months. I agree in most situations with some fat being needed in the diet.
[Reply]
Swayze Reply:
September 21st, 2011 at 3:30 PM
You can cut out all overt fats (foods high in fat), but you can’t remove all fat from your diet. Not unless you plan to eat nothing but soft drinks and gummi bears.
Swayze
Hi Swayze
I do have a question about why a raw vegan lifestyle change cause High Blood pressure. Before I went on the vegan I didn’t have high BP, it was always in the teens. But now since I have been raw vegan for about 5mos and 1 mo low fat raw vegan my bp is rising its in the 30′s now. I’m confused, is there any info on this? I have searched the web to no avail. Thanks….BTW I love your raw recipe book. <3
[Reply]
Swayze Reply:
February 17th, 2012 at 7:23 PM
Hi Annette
I honestly have no idea because I don’t know your specifics. My first guess would be weight: Have you gained any weight recently?
Swayze
P.S. Glad you like the recipes!
[Reply]
Leave a comment, beautiful.