NYC Blog

Ultra-low-fat diet limits the fat intake to less than 10% of calories a day. Generally, a low-fat diet contains approximately 30% of the calories as fat. Studies have found that this diet is unsuccessful in the long run for weight loss.

Proponents of the ultra-low-fat diet contend that conventional low-fat diets are not low enough in fat and that fat consumption needs to maintain below 10% of total calories to achieve nutritional benefits and weight loss.

How it works

An ultra-low-fat diet includes 10% or less of fat calories. The diet is mainly plant based and has a small consumption of animal products.

It is thus usually very high in carbs—about 80 per cent of calories—and poor in protein—about 10 per cent of calories.

Weight loss

This diet proved to be a very good diet for weight loss in obese people. In one study, obese individuals lost on average 140 pounds (63 kg) of ultra-low fat diet.

Another 8-week diet analysis involving 7–14 percent fat showed an overall weight loss of 14.8 pounds (6.7 kg).

Other advantages

Studies show that ultra-low-fat diets can boost many risk factors for heart disease, including elevated blood pressure, high cholesterol, and inflammation markers.

Surprisingly, this high-carb, low-fat diet can also contribute to substantial changes in type 2 diabetes.

In comparison, multiple sclerosis—an autoimmune disorder that affects your brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves in your eyes—may slow down.

The downside

Weight restriction can cause long-term complications, as fat plays a variety of important roles in your body. These include helping to create cell membranes and hormones, as well as helping the body consume fat-soluble vitamins.

In comparison, ultra-low-fat diet reduces the consumption of certain nutritious ingredients, eliminates versatility and is highly difficult to sustain.

SUMMARY

Ultra-low-fat diet contains less than 10% of the fat calories. It can cause substantial weight loss and may also provide significant benefits for heart disease, type 2 diabetes and multiple sclerosis.