Au naturel

Low fat, no fat, reduced fat, light, etc. are not words I look for on a label. My shopping cart is actually filled with quite the opposite. I refuse to fall prey to the marketing of food. Food is nutrition, not something to be torn apart and remade with synthetic ingredients. If you can't pronounce an item's list of ingredients then perhaps it's time to reconsider your options.

I buy butter, full fat yogurt, regular mayonnaise. And they taste great. You need a lot less of a full fat item to feel satisfied so you actually eat less of it. There's a reason why obesity and diabetes are an epidemic in America: it's called processed food. It's not just fast food that's to blame, but every day items that people buy are not really food anymore.

Compare the North American diet to that of Europe or South East Asia where they eat fresh local ingredients and don't suffer the heart disease and diabetes issues we do. For example, the French eat cheese, and quite a lot of it. They eat a small portion, savour it, enjoy it for what it is.

Having full fats in your diet doesn't mean you will be fat. Fats are actually good for you in moderation. Just like everything else in life....moderation and balance are key. There are two great books which I recommend that show how to live enjoying food, real food.

Michael Pollan "In Defense of Food"
http://michaelpollan.com/books/

Mireille Guiliano "French Women Don't Get Fat"
http://mireilleguiliano.com/