Dates in Ultra Low-Fat Diet
Diet Description
An ultra low-fat diet is one diet that has been gaining popularity. It involves eating foods that are proportionately high in carbohydrates, low in fat, and moderate to low in protein. A regular balanced diet consists of about 20-35% of calories from fat. However, an ultra low-fat diet consists of less than 10 to 15% of calories from fat. An average person would follow a 2,000 calorie diet. That person may only eat about 22 to 33 grams of fat per day in this diet.
Diet Purpose
Low-fat diets may be recommended for people with certain conditions. These include multiple sclerosis or fat malabsorption disorders, like chronic pancreatitis. A low-fat diet may be beneficial for those with diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular issues like hypertension. However, this is still debatable.
Dates in Ultra Low-Fat Diet
Dates are a great food option while on an ultra low-fat diet. This is because they contain very little fat. A 100 gram serving of dates, or about 4 to 5 dates, contains about 0.15 grams of fat. That is a marginally small amount compared to what you are allowed to eat.
What to Eat
In general, an ultra low-fat diet substitutes high-fat foods with high carbohydrate foods. Fruit, vegetables, grains, cereals, and fat-free dairy are all good, low-fat food options. Proteins that are low in fat, like egg whites, chicken breast, and whitefish, can also be eaten on this diet. 30% or less of one’s calories should be consumed from fat as part of a low-fat diet. A specific product is considered low-fat if it has 3gm of fat or less per serving, as denoted on the nutrition label.
What to Avoid
Any foods high in fat should be avoided. This includes butter, oils, nuts, seeds, and full-fat dairy. Eating fatty meats, like bacon, is not a good idea. This also includes condiments or processed foods that contain oils and full-fat dairy. Examples of these are mayonnaise and ranch dressing. Cheese, avocados, egg yolks, olives, and dark chocolate are other examples of high-fat foods that should be avoided.
Conclusion
For certain medical conditions, an ultra low-fat diet may be recommended. Eating some fat is still required in order to get essential fats. However, high-fat foods should generally be avoided. Dates are a great example of a low-fat food that can be eaten on this diet.
