low fat vs fat free cheeses

Okay, I know some of you are on Atkins so you will most be prone for whole fat cheese.  Core is essentially low carb and low fat so whole fat is out of the question for me at this time.  Core says fat free cheeses only.  I have such a hard time finding these, and when I do it is so expensive.  Do you guys think low fat is good enough?  I was thinking Dee said she only used low fat, and someone else, but not sure.  

I meant to compare at the store and I forgot.  Any one know really the differences between low fat and fat free cheeses?  I REALLY want to be able to skip over this part of the plan, but I'm afraid too.  I'm really wondering if it's that important.

 

I think low fat will have 5g-10g fat where as fat free should have 0. Majority of the fat in low-fat will probably be saturated fat.  Fat free will probably taste like salted cardboard. Fat Free Cheese: http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-C00001-01c21xn.html
Low Fat Cheese: http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-C00001-01c21zK.html Cheddar/Colby -> http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-C00001-01c202U.html

Wow, did you notice the protein difference??  It was 34 grams of protein in low fat vs 4 grams of protein in ff!

I wonder if this is what I've been remembering people talking about hating ff cheese.  That's a big jump!  Lol think maybe we are eating plastic or cardboard! ha 

can you do other fat free dairy instead of cheese then?  yogurt?  skim milk? but yeah, I will never do low-fat/fat-free anything again. 

Yes, I do other ff dairy also, and I do use them.  Soy on the other hand just has to be unflavored, which I drink.  I have this thing for soy any more, lol not sure why.

But for cheeses, it's so expensive! And like Chris said it tastes like cardboard, although I think more along the lines of plastic.lol  With six people in the house I would prefer just eating lowfat or regular (even better) cheese.  There's just something wrong with ff cheese and ff dressings that I can't stand.  I won't even touch light dressings, I've tried em all.  I stick with spritzers right now, unhappily, but doing it.  Just hoping I get use to them.

Just trying to figure out how much difference low fat vs ff is for cheese and if it would wreck my plan.  I've been hearing things here and there regarding cheese, but I never paid that much attention to the topics at the time.  Just wondering if any of you remember anything, or I guess why you would choose low fat over ff.  I think that is where the topic was at before. 

If you feel you have to have fat free cheese then why not just omit the cheese all together?  You're not getting much of any nutrients from the FF cheese as you pointed out with the protein.  It tastes like ...  I suppose there's eating it for the sake of having cheese but if it doesn't taste like cheese then I suspect it won't cure that cheese craving. Most everything fat free tastes like crap and has been loaded withhigh fructose corn syrup, or some type of enriched flour to make it taste worth a flip.  I avoid all that low-fat stuff.  I'm not doing Atkins yet but still.. I don't see the point in suffering. lol  I realize you're on core and that's what you have to do ..you've got more cahonnes they I do!

"If you feel you have to have fat free cheese then why not just omit the cheese all together?  You're not getting much of any nutrients from the FF cheese as you pointed out with the protein. " This is not factually correct across the board, Chris, as I pointed out in my other post. Whether you LIKE the taste better or not, nutritionally you don't always lose out. You need to read your labels! That one was about shredded cheddar and mozzarella. This time, Cream Cheese! NUTRITIONAL BREAKDOWN of PHILADELPHIA CREAM CHEESE: 1 ounce servings: Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese:  100 calories ---- 10g fat/1g carb/ 2g protein and 0% USRDA Calcium ---30mg cholesterol Philadelphia Brand 1/3 Fat Cream Cheese:   70 calories --- 6g fat/ 1 g carb/  2 protein and 2% USRDA Calcium--20mg cholesterol Philadelphia Brand Fat Free Cream Cheese 30 calories--- 0g fat / 2 g carbs/ 4 proteins and 15% USRDA Calcium---5 mg cholesterol All three contain 1g of sugar. The fat free contains MORE protein and one additional carb and a LOT more calcium...and 1/4 the cholesterol, which is a health concern for some. So if the taste works in your recipes, you are, in fact, better off in some ways eating the fat free version. It depends what your priorities are.

I suppose you're correct in that the fat free has more protein and calcium... but those have been added in to make it actually healthy. They don't occur naturally in the cheese. Additionally fat free has more preservatives and artificial additives. There are far more ingredients in the fat free vs the low fat and regular cream cheeses. I don't consider those to be a healthier choice. I think the benefit of the lowered fat and the increased calcium and protein become somewhat nullified with all the extra stuff added in. Especially when some of those added ingredients can be used as a pesticide. Fat Free Ingredients: SKIM MILK, WHEY, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF SODIUM TRIPOLYPHOSPHATE, SUGAR, PASTEURIZED MILK AND CREAM, SALT, ARTIFICIAL COLOR, XANTHAN GUM, POTASSIUM SORBATE AND CALCIUM PROPIONATE AS PRESERVATIVES, CARRAGEENAN, CHEESE CULTURE, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, CAROB BEAN GUM, VITAMIN A PALMITATE. 1/3 Less Fat: PASTEURIZED NONFAT MILK AND MILKFAT, CHEESE CULTURE, SALT, STABILIZERS (XANTHAN AND/OR CAROB BEAN AND/OR GUAR GUMS). Regular: PASTEURIZED NONFAT MILK AND MILKFAT, CHEESE CULTURE, SALT, STABILIZERS (XANTHAN AND/OR CAROB BEAN AND/OR GUAR GUMS). Personally, I don't consider cream cheese real cheese though.  I realize it is technically cheese but if I wouldn't dip a chip in it, eat it on a burger or cut a block off then it ain't cheese! :P I consider cream cheese to be a dessert.  If you look at slice/cubed/shredded/block cheese I am pretty sure that the non-fat doesn't have as many nutrients as the regular and if it does..it's been added in to make it appear healthier.  I wonder if the other non-fat cheeses have as many preservatives added?

I wouldn't argue with you about the additives-- just saying that they are not "lower in nutrition" as you previously stated.