What are 'fat balls'—and can they help you lose weight?

Fat balls are officially the latest healthy-snack craze, taking over health-food blogs, Instagram feeds, and Pinterest pages alike. Though theyve been popular among keto dieters for a while now (theyre also called keto balls, just FYI), fat balls are quickly winning over the rest of the health crowd as a no-bake, minimally-processed snack that offers high amounts of healthy fats, protein, and a bit of fiber, along with little or no sugar.

But what are fat balls, exactly? Though they may resemble chocolate truffles, the typical fat ball actually begins with a nut-butter base, followed by a heaping of ground flax or seeds. For flavor and sweetness (sans sugar!), people often mix in spices like cinnamon and vanilla. Coconut oil is another common ingredient. Depending on the recipe, fat balls can pack from 50 to 150 calories per piece, with the average ball weighing in at around 100 calories. Thanks to the nut or seed butter, you'll get at least five grams of protein, two grams of fiber, and up to three grams of fat.

So can these fat-packed snacks really help you shed pounds? Though it seems counterintuitive, dietary fat slows digestion, which can help you stay fuller longer, says Jessica Cording, R.D., founder of Jessica Cording Nutrition. When fat enters the small intestine, this signals the release of peptides YY and CCK, two hormones that work to reduce appetite, according to the authors of one American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study. Plus, since fat balls are designed to be keto-friendly, they follow the diet's high-fat, low-carb protocol, which can help some women lose weight.

Still, the add-ins ultimately determine the nutrition content. For example, while traditional fat-ball toppings such as nuts and seeds will increase the fat, protein, and fiber content, oats or dried fruit (typical of more traditional "energy" balls), will give you more carbs, Cording says. To figure out exactly what you're getting from your fat ball, you can plug the ingredients and quantities into an online recipe calculator (like the USDA's Supertracker) and then divide by the number of servings.

In short, fat balls are definitely a healthier, smarter option for a mid-afternoon snack than grabbing a handful of sugar from the office candy bowl. And thanks to their convenient size, fat balls are especially handy if you’re a frequent traveler or constantly on the go. Cording says.

Keep Your Balls in Check

But while they can be healthy in small amounts, fat balls can quickly turn into fat bombs if you don’t practice portion control, warns Katherine Brooking, R.D., co-founder of Appetite for Health.

And though it’s tempting to pop a fat ball (or five) at lunchtime and call it good, both Brooking and Cording advise against using fat balls as a meal replacement. Yes, they offer healthy doses of protein and fat, but they can’t replace well-balanced meals chock-full of veggies, whole grains, and lean protein, Brooking says. A few bites here and there can easily add up to hundreds of calories, Brooking says. To keep the scale from creeping up, limit yourself to one or two fat balls per day.

Not to mention, scarfing down a fat ball on the go just doesn’t satisfy the way sitting down to a full meal does, making you more likely to reach for unhealthy snacks a short while later. Research backs this up: A recent Appetite study shows that people tend to eat more total calories after consuming a food labeled “snack” compared to a food labeled as a “meal.” Though all study participants ate comparable amounts of pasta, those who ate it as a snack (standing up, eaten out of a container) consumed about 50 percent more total calories afterward in the form of unhealthy snacks (animal cookies, M&Ms, salted crisps and cheese-flavored crackers), compared to those who ate their pasta as a meal (sitting down, eaten off a plate).

So, if you decide to include fat balls in your diet, just be sure to use them as a stop-gap in between meals, as opposed to a replacement for a meal. “Your brain doesn’t register that little ball as much as it does a plate of food,” Cording says. Get the healthiest bang for your nutritional buck by using nut and seed butters made with simple ingredients. Steer clear of sugar-sweetened varieties and butters with hydrogenated oil or palm oil on the ingredients list.

When in doubt, whip up Cording's Superfood Truffles recipe (after all, you know it's R.D.-approved!):

Superfood Truffles

Ingredients:1/3 cup maca powder1/2 cup cocoa or raw cacao powder1/4 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt1 teaspoon cinnamon1/4 cup coconut milk (or other milk)1 cup natural, organic creamy peanut butter (or your favorite nut or seed butter)1 teaspoon vanilla extract2 tablespoons local or raw honey1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, cacao nibs, matcha green tea powder, or chia seeds —or a combination (optional, for coating)

Directions: Blend maca, cacao, sea salt, cinnamon, coconut milk, peanut butter, vanilla, and honey in a food processor until smooth. Roll tablespoon-sized scoops of the mixture into balls. Roll the through through the coconut mixture until evenly coated. Store in the fridge in an airtight container. Serve cold. Makes 16 truffles.