Barbara Moran – Helps explain if butter is really back and clarifies the facts on fat

Barbara Moran, a science writer based in Brookline, Massachusetts provides as fantastic article describing the facts on fat.

In her article she explains how a greater number of nutritional experts are now leaning towards a continuing agreement around what constitutes a healthy diet. The consensus: we have been told to eliminate “fat” from our diets, which has, in many cases, done more bad than good. The replacement of these healthy fats with “low fat” substitutes may actually be worse for our health.

“VERDICT: NOT ALL FATS ARE BAD

By the 1970s, Keys and Hegsted, among other scientists, concluded that different types of dietary fat had varying effects on blood cholesterol levels, and that different types of cholesterol had varying effects on heart disease. Unsaturated fats, especially polyunsaturated fatty acids like those in walnuts, decrease the “bad” LDL cholesterol and raise the “good” HDL cholesterol. In the early 1990s, Walter Willett, now chair of the HSPH Department of Nutrition, and others determined that trans fats—liquid vegetable oils transformed into shelf-stable solids (think Crisco)—were associated with greater risk of heart disease and are a double metabolic whammy, raising “bad” LDL and decreasing “good” HDL.”

In 1987, Project LEAN (Low-Fat Eating for America Now), was launched with the attempt to encourage Americans to reduce total fat intake to 30 percent of their diet. A ton of processed food companies jumped on the “fat is bad” theme which led to a marketing explosion on the labels of products on grocery store shelves; “fat free”, “low fat”, which still continues today. The public ate this up. The thought was that fat has more calories per gram, so if eaten, you’ll get fat! – NOT NECESSARILY TRUE!

When food manufacturers removed fat to make their “fat free” products like fat-free salad dressing, fat-free ice-creams, cookies etc they had to substitute something to take its place. Most often this substitution involved adding sugar, high fructose corn syrup, cornstarch or other refined carbohydrates such as white flour. Companies have gotten better at making low fat and fat free foods tasty and people tend to think that since they taste good and are “low fat” or “fat free”, then it must be okay to eat. – WRONG!

“FAT-FREE” MESSAGE A PUBLIC HEALTH DISASTER

It was one big, happy, fat-free feeding frenzy—and a public health disaster.

“We didn’t know as much then about the bad effects of refined carbohydrates,” says Cheung. “For example, low-fat yogurt is loaded with sugar. Our bodies digest these refined carbohydrates and starches very quickly, causing an insulin spike.” Insulin tells the body to store fat and causes our blood sugar to drop, which makes us feel hungry. These relentless sugar highs and lows lead to overeating and weight gain, raising the risk for heart disease and diabetes.”

We now know that when people lower their saturated fat intake, they are not necessarily eating healthier.

“We’re not going to artificially create healthy diets by manufacturing low-fat, low-saturated-fat packaged foods. What we eat should be whole, minimally processed, nutritious food—food that is in many cases as close to its natural form as possible.”

The Take-Away

I’m not a calorie counter and I don’t think I ever will be, I like to enjoy my food. However, I think we should be mindful of what we eat and eat with the intention of nourishing our mind and body.

Healthy eating includes eating healthy fats that can be found in olive oil, avocados, pastured egg yolks, krill oil, coconut oil, grass fed meat, grass fed butter, fish oil, raw macadamias.

Unhealthy eating includes “fat free” products like fat-free salad dressing, fat-free ice-creams, cookies etc. There are substitutions in these products. Most often these substitutions involve adding sugar, high fructose corn syrup, cornstarch or other refined carbohydrates such as white flour. Don’t automatically assume “low fat” or “fat free”, is nutritious and will help prevent weight gain.

To read more on this article from Barbara Moran click here

Enjoy your food while being mindful of what you eat and Unleash Your Optimal Self!

Date: August 11, 2015

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mikeofcanada