Are all low-fat foods healthy foods?

This is not the case. We cannot simply equate low-fat foods with healthy foods.

"Low-fat food" is clearly defined in national standards, which means that the fat content in 100 grams of solid food does not exceed 3 grams, or in 100 milliliters of liquid food does not exceed 1.5 grams. It was originally designed to help people reduce their fat intake, especially for people with specific health needs, such as those who want to control their weight or reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. "Healthy food" is a relatively broad concept, usually referring to foods that are beneficial to human health, can provide necessary nutrients, and do not bring too many negative health effects. Healthy food may contain a variety of ingredients that are beneficial to the human body, such as vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, etc., and usually has a lower content of sugar, salt and unhealthy fats (such as trans fatty acids). As for "whether low-fat food is healthy food", it cannot be generalized and needs to be judged comprehensively. From the perspective of nutritional balance: low-fat foods may be healthier in terms of fat, but if they add too much sugar and salt during processing, they are not necessarily healthy. From the perspective of individual differences: everyone's health status and nutritional needs are different. For some people, low-fat foods may be a good fit for their diet plan; but for others, especially those who need to increase their fat intake (such as athletes or those who are undergoing high-intensity training), low-fat foods may not be healthy. In addition, it is worth reminding that whether a certain diet is healthy is not just determined by a single food, but by whether the overall diet is balanced.

Author | Master of Doubao Food Processing and Safety

Review | Ruan Guangfeng, Deputy Director of Kexin Food and Health Information Exchange Center