Sure there are countless varieties of fat-free and reduced-fat products but this fat-free frenzy has a downside. Too many people think that if a food is fat-free they have a license to eat as much of it as they want. Not true. Remember that Fat-free doesn’t = calorie-free. Fat-free foods are usually loaded with sugar and calories, so gorging on them will cause weight gain.

Fat-free yummys may also starve you of important vitamins and minerals, since many fat-free products are refined which means low in key nutrients. Many are also lower in fat-soluble nutrients such as vitamin E, an antioxidant that protects against age-related diseases. Research shows that women who switch to a low-fat diet (less than 30 percent fat calories) often fall below their requirement for vitamin E.

To beat the fat-free nutrition blues and retain your youth, make sure you’re getting several servings of fresh fruits and vegetables a day. To get your vitamin E, eat plenty of whole grains, and try to use small amounts of vitamin E-rich oils, such as flax or Udo’s oil on foods after they are cooked and on salads. If you are buying fat-free foods check food labels for calorie amounts. It’s the number of calories consumed (taken in) verses the number of calories burned (out) that will result in a healthy body weight and appearance. Simply put: for weight loss, you need to take in fewer calories than you burn.