It is a trending question I hear from my clients lately.
People get confused and surprised to hear how these nourishing, tasty, filling treats with around 90% of fats can satisfy their food cravings, balance blood sugar, provide an energy boost for workouts, and enhance weight loss.
An easy-to-make fat bomb can sometimes provide more health benefits than a complex high-protein meal.
But fat bombs can support weight loss only when you know how and when to eat them.
Experts explained, and we researched and summed it up for you.
Let’s finally find out: can fat bombs help you lose weight?
Quick Summary
- Fat bombs can help you lose weight only when you know when and how to consume them.
- The common fat bomb recipes are avocados, coconut oil, butter, cheeses, bacon, ghee, coconut cream, lard, mayonnaise, and tallow.
- Fat bombs are best consumed before, or after morning, or afternoon workout.
How Does Eating High Fat Help You Lose Weight?
A low-carb, high-fat intake can help you lose weight by forcing your body to use ketones from fat stores for fuel instead of sourcing the necessary energy from glucose coming from carbs.
Besides helping you burn fat and inducing weight loss, your body needs fat to absorb fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K.
Since it takes longer for fats to break down in your digestive tract and they slow the breakdown of carbs into sugar, eating fat bombs can stabilize your blood glucose, helping you feel fuller for longer, curb hunger, stop snacking, and consume fewer calories [1].
Even better:
Scientific research shows that a low-carb diet loaded with healthy fats may bring some individuals certain health benefits, including balanced insulin, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels, regulated blood pressure, reduced risk of metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even some cancer types [2] [3].
However, scientists claim that a significant long-term calorie deficit slows down your metabolism too much, hindering weight loss, and may also cause some harmful side effects.
So, be careful and watch your portion size.
Now you may wonder: “How much fat should I eat a day to lose fat?”
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans state that 20-35% of your total daily calorie intake should come from fats.
So, you should eat 0.5-1g/kg of fat a day so that you lose body fat and avoid essential fatty acid deficiency. For example, a person who weighs around 180lbs (80kg) should consume 40-80g of fat per day.
But besides portion control (more about it later), the catch is in consuming fat bombs that contain healthy fats, i.e., unsaturated fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated omega-3 or omega-6 fats) [4].
Also, it’s critical to avoid mayo, butter, and other potentially harmful trans fats and saturated fat sources that don’t provide any health benefits [5].
“Good fats include coconut oil, MCT oil, grass-fed butter or ghee, nut butters, cocoa butter, heavy cream, avocado or avocado oil, olives or olive oil, sesame seeds or sesame seed oil, chia seeds, flax seeds, and walnuts.
Avoid the ‘yellow oils,’ a.k.a. industrial seed oils, such as canola, soybean oil, and vegetable oil, which are chock-full of toxic byproducts and highly inflammatory, and steer clear of cheese-based fat bombs as well, which can be inflammatory for many people and raise LDL, the less desirable cholesterol.”
- Tara Garrison, NASM-Certified Personal Trainer & Keto Diet Specialist
What Are Common Fat Bomb Ingredients?
You can put almost anything low-carb, sugar-free, and rich in fats in these tasty bite-sized snacks of various shapes like balls, rolls, cookies, bars, salads, etc.
Still, most fat bombs are made with a fatty base and various other binding and flavoring ingredients, depending on the flavor and consistency you want - sweet, savory, spicy, cheesy, crunchy, etc.
Fat bases typically contain unsaturated or saturated fats, such as:
- Coconut oil and butter: grass-fed butter, cacao butter, peanut butter, almond butter, coconut butter, or any other nut butter
- Coconut cream
- Cheeses: cream cheese, cashew cheese, hard cheese
- Avocado
- Mayonnaise
- Ghee
- Lard
- Tallow
- Bacon
- MCT oil
Other ingredients fat bombs may contain include salt, calorie-free natural sweeteners (stevia, sucralose, erythritol) for a sweet taste, and powdered herbs and spices you like.
Here are several ingredient ideas from my favorite fat bomb recipes:
- For sweet fat bombs: Dark Chocolate, Cacao Powder, Cinnamon, Ginger, Coconut Milk, Shredded Coconut, Coconut Flakes, Coconut Flour, Almond Flour, Nuts, Seeds (Flaxseed, Chia, or Hemp Seeds), Berries, and Other Low-Carb Fruits, Vanilla (Extract), Lemon Juice and Low-Carb Maple Syrup
- For savory fat bombs: Low-Carb Veggies, Cheese, Olives, Eggs, Bacon Bits, Chopped Cooked Meat (Smoked Salmon, Steak)
Use your imagination to combine some of these or other ingredients you like to create your ideal fat bomb recipe.
How Many Fat Bombs Can You Eat Per Day?
Whether you’re on a ketogenic diet or not, experts say that one to three fat bombs per day are sufficient to make your taste buds happy.
Also, they don’t advise you to eat fat bombs for dessert every day if you’re struggling to lose weight.
Although indulging in a few fat bombs a day shouldn’t do any harm to your health or weight, ensure you don’t overeat and always mind the portion control depending on your diet, fat bomb ingredients, nutritional value, the number of calories you typically burn per day, and other relevant factors.
When it comes to fat bombs, quality matters just as much as quantity. Opting for homemade fat bombs or those made with high-quality ingredients ensures you're getting the most nutritional benefit.
Look for fat bombs that are free from artificial additives, excessive sweeteners, or unhealthy fats. Prioritize recipes that incorporate nutrient-dense ingredients like nuts, seeds, and natural sweeteners.
By choosing wisely and paying attention to the ingredients, you can enjoy the delightful flavors of fat bombs while supporting your overall well-being.
When Is the Best Time to Eat a Fat Bomb?
The best time to eat a keto fat bomb may be before or after a morning or mid-afternoon workout to enable your body to operate at its full capacity.
Fat bombs can also be a yummy snack in the morning, even before bedtime, or whenever you need a quick energy boost.
While fat bombs can be a healthy addition to your diet, the timing of when you eat them is as important as the quality of the ingredients.
Dr. Beata Lerman, a biochemist, immunologist, and founder of Sinless Treats, suggests eating fat bombs in the first part of the day so there is still plenty of opportunity to move around or burn it.
She also recommends using it as a dessert after a meal – so it’s best to choose fat bombs made with whole, nutrient-dense ingredients, while limiting your intake to avoid consuming too many calories.
Besides satisfying your sweet tooth guilt-free with this tasty treat, a nutrient-dense savory fat bomb might even serve as a convenient meal replacement when you’re on the go.
However, nutritionists don’t recommend using fat bombs as meal replacements regularly because many fat bomb recipes don’t help meet your vitamin, mineral, protein, and fiber daily requirements.
While fat bombs can be a valuable addition to a keto diet, it's essential to maintain a balanced approach to your overall nutrition.
Remember, fat bombs should be enjoyed in moderation as part of a well-rounded eating plan.
Listening to your body's hunger and fullness cues and working with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian can help you tailor your keto diet to meet your individual needs.
Do Fat Bombs Make You Gain Weight?
Although keto fat bombs are meant to make you feel more energized, keep you full longer, help increase your metabolism, and promote ketosis, these high-fat treats can make you gain weight if you overindulge in them or ignore their ingredients.
So, if you consume much more calories than you burn, you’re very likely to gain weight even if you’re in ketosis (a fat-burning state with raised levels of ketone bodies in your blood).
Unfortunately, fat bombs are usually loaded with calories (containing 70-500 calories, even up to 90% of which come from fat sources), and overeating is easy since they’re so delicious.
Are Fat Bombs Good for Weight Loss?
Fat bombs can be good for weight loss if you eat them in moderate amounts as part of a low-carb diet.
Also, you need to choose the ingredients wisely, avoiding artificial sweeteners and using healthy fats like almond butter, peanut butter, coconut oil, or avocado instead of rendered animal fats to make them.
However, don’t expect a quick fix and always consult a professional because if you’re not sure what you’re doing, you can put on weight instead of losing it and reaping unique health benefits.
Good luck, and let us know how it works for you.
References:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK53550/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3664913/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26545671/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17125537/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK53552/
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