Why you should eat fat to get slim
Recent data shows that most people shed pounds more successfully on diet containing moderate amounts of fat than they do on very low-fat regimens. Here's why
For years nutritionists told us to cut back on fat; too much fat on the menu makes people gain weight, they said. Gram for gram, fat contains twice as many calories as protein or carbohydrates, they pointed out. Just as bad, it puts our hearts and arteries at risk by increasing cholesterol.
We listened. Over the past decades, the total percentage of calories from fat in the Canadian diet has fallen considerably. But now, in a stunning reversal, the experts are offering very different advice: Some fats are actually good for our hearts. What's more, rather than helping you lose weight, slashing fat may actually make it harder to maintain a healthy weight. Very low-fat diets could even be unhealthy.
Good fat, bad fat
The truth is, experts have long known that there are various kinds of fat. The two main categories are saturated fat and unsaturated fat. Saturated fat comes mostly from animals, either in the form of meat or from cheese, milk and other dairy. Unsaturated fat comes mainly from plants and fish. Some of the biggest sources in our diets are vegetable oils such as corn, safflower, olive, peanut and canola.
When it comes to heart disease, the culprit is saturated fat. Because of its chemical makeup, saturated fat causes the body to churn out extra LDL cholesterol, which is the harmful, artery-clogging kind.
Unsaturated fat, in contrast, has been shown to lower LDL and raise HDL cholesterol, the friendly form that removes dangerous cholesterol from the body. Remarkably, getting plenty of unsaturated fat actually protects your arteries from hardening. Studies around the world have found the same thing: The less saturated and more unsaturated fat people eat, the lower their risk of heart disease.
Some particular unsaturated fats called omega-3 fatty acids are not only great for your heart and arteries, but battle inflammation throughout your body and help prevent several major diseases. Omega-3s can even help lift mild depression, making you feel more energetic. They are abundant in salmon, mackerel, tuna and flaxseed oil. Because these are foods most people don't eat frequently, they are increasingly being taken in supplement form. Who knew doctors would one day be recommending a kind of fat pill?
Carbohydrates: Not so simple
When we cut back on fat, we replaced it with carbohydrates, mostly the simple kind found in white rice or bread. That's bad news: A high-carb, low-fat diet increases levels of triglycerides, a form of fat in the blood linked to a greater danger of heart disease. Second, a diet low in fat and high in simple carbohydrates may make it harder, rather than easier, to lose weight. The surge in blood sugar caused by simple carbs triggers a surge in insulin from the pancreas. One of insulin's jobs is to move blood sugar into muscles, where it provides fuel for movement. But another of its roles is to prompt the body to store excess energy as fat. If blood sugar and insulin levels continually spike and then drop, it can spell trouble.
The resulting rollercoaster makes people hungry more often, and the surges of insulin prime the body to store fat. Cutting back on total fat and filling up on simple carbohydrates hasn't made is thinner. Instead, we're fatter than ever.
Eat fat, get slim
A diet with moderate amounts of fat is simply more satisfying than a harsh low-fat regimen. And it's the only kind of diet that really works over the long term. Another reason may be that people consuming moderate amounts of fat are less likely to overdo simple carbohydrates and will find it easier to keep hunger in check.
Replace saturated fat with unsaturated fat wherever you can. Switch from butter to olive or canola oil, for instance, and eat less meat and more fish. keep portion sizes and calories under control, and steer toward more complex carbohydrates like those in whole-grain breads and cereals.
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Adapted from Swap & Drop Diet, Best Health (Reader's Digest Canada); Image credit: iStockphoto.com
The only way I have been sucessful in reducing my weight and staying of lipitor and blood pressure medication is by increasing my fat intake and reducing my carb intake. The ratio that works the best for me is 30% protein, 55% fat (both saturated and unsaturated) and 15% carbs. I tried to push the fat intake even higher, but at one point, my weight became too low. Either way, with such a high fat intake and low car intake, my total cholestrol dropped to the low end of the acceptable range, raised my HDL/LDL ratio, and my triglycerides dropped to extremely low values. I have been doing this for several decades, and the funny thing is my doctor telling "great keep up the good diet by staying away from fat". YEAH RIGHT!!!!!!
Want a good book to read about this...Wheat Belly by Dr. Davis.
First of all butter is ok eat . As for omega 3 pills are not wereth any thing for your health .In order for butter to be bad you would have to eat more then one pould a munth I have a family of 4 and that is wath we use. I have long known that the low fat diet was bad my inlaws eat that why and both had heart attacks as my perants eat anormal diet no heart attcks
This article is a vast improvement over your standard nutrition writings. It's up to date! For the reader trying to figure out how to develop an entirely new approach to dieting this new information can be confusing. The more you read the more you begin to understand that there is not a one size fite all diet. You have to find good web resources, including a web based electronic nutrition calculator that provides nutrient levels as well as calories. You will also need a good source of educative materials; the search words low carb higher fat should find you something. Thanks for this great article!
All good content except no information on the sources of the food recommended. I am talking about GMO content in app.80% of process food and no-process food coming from the countries other then Europe, which is strongly opposing GMO implementation by the big corporation MONSANOT.
Is does not matter how well the food is sellected if the food is not labelled with GMO content the whole idea of eating healthy is missing. VOTE for Bill C-257 to label GMO content .Email to gerry.ritz@parl.gc.ca
Have your say for yourself, your children, grandchildren and the PLANET EARTH
I believe that increasing fat and reducing carbohydrates is healthy. I have not found any good science proving that saturated fat or cholesterol is bad. There is good evidence that glycated and oxidized LDL particles are the cause of cardiovascular disease. The LDL particles are modified when excess carbohydrates and unsaturated omega 6 fats are consumed.Saturated fat and cholesterol are not the problem. It is very difficult to admit that some of our beliefs have been wrong and accept new ideas.
You are so right about healthy fats being good for us! The key is to use UNrefined, traditional fats, which sadly, does not include canola oil. Butter, extra virgin olive and cold-pressed coconut oil are all excellent choices. Not having tried UNrefined grapeseed oil, only the refined version (what's available here), I'm not a big fan, though my naturopath assured me it was a "food" and very healthy; he must have meant the cold-pressed oil.
The BEST complex carbs are raw vegetables and fruit(moderate amounts). Also, a daily small handful of raw nuts, or nuts and seeds will add years to your life, thanks to the Omega 6 - and raw flax is rich in Omega 3. The omega fats reverse inflammation and build strong cell membranes. They cleared up chronic ear infections etc., in my children!!
Hey everyone: watch your source of seafood. Our family has been advised for years to either choose large fish from the North Pacific, or small ones which contain less PCBs and mercury. But nowadays, I believe we all need to be wary of what's possibly contaminating the waters from Japan, and being ingested by seafood. Just saying...