Low Fat Foods are not necessarily
Low Calorie

If you think that low fat means low calories, read on. Often, reduced fat items have more sugar added to enhance the flavor, which contributes calories to the final product. Also, many of us think that by eating the low fat version of a food, we can eat more of it. If you are watching your weight, this will only sabotage your efforts.

Check out the list of foods below to see the difference in calories (if there is any) between common low fat and regular fat foods.




Low-fat or Fat-free Regular


Reduced Fat Peanut Butter Regular Peanut Butter


2 Tbsp: 190 calories, 12g fat 2 Tbsp: 190 calories, 16g fat



Low Fat Wheat Thins Regular Wheat Thins

16 crackers: 130 calories, 4g fat 16 crackers: 150 calories, 6g fat



Low Fat Oreos Original Oreos

3 cookies: 150 calories, 4.5g fat 3 cookies: 160 calories, 7g fat



Fat Free Fig Newtons Regular Fig Newtons

2 cookies: 100 calories, 0g fat 2 cookies: 110 calories, 2g fat



Low fat Fruit-flavored Yogurt Regular Fruit-flavored Yogurt

6 oz: 173 calories, 1.8 g fat 6 oz: 170 calories, 6 g fat




Low fat Granola Cereal Regular Granola Cereal


½ cup:160 calories, 2.2g fat ½ cup: 210 calories, 6g fat



Light Tortilla Chips Regular Tortilla Chips

1 oz: 132 calories, 4.3g fat 1 oz: 141 calories, 7.3g fat




Fat Free Apple Cinnamon Muffin Regular Apple Cinnamon Muffin

Small: 130 calories, 0g fat Small: 147 calories, 6.9g fat



The Bottom Line:

Although it is a good idea to limit your fat intake, you can see that sometimes there is not much of a calorie difference between the low fat (or fat free) version of a food compared to its regular version. So, what are you to do? If you like the taste of a particular higher fat food, limit your calories by controlling your portion. If you think that eating low fat or fat free foods permits you to eat more of a specific food, think again!