The fats Traditional foods were not replaced by olive oil —as has been suggested up to now— but by fats produced in the laboratory, full of sugar and refined carbohydrates.
The full-fat dairy they were superseded by their skim alternatives. And the ultra-processed such as margarine came to replace butter, as well as options for desserts and even low-fat ice cream appeared on supermarket shelves.
However, the obesity epidemic throughout the world only increased.
fat is vital
According to recent research, fat does not deserve the bad reputation it has been given during years. What’s more, any diet that claims to be healthy and balanced must contain it in some percentage.
“We need some fat in our diet to help us absorb fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Fats are also a source of essential fatty acids, which the body cannot produce on its own,” UK dietitian Priya Tew explained to The Telegraph.
And added that when people give up fat, they tend to eat more starch, sugar and even fewer healthy fats.
The bad ones are trans fats
trans fats are associated in studies with a 16% increased risk of coronary events, a 34% increase in all-cause mortality, a 28% increase in mortality coronary artery disease and a 21% percentage increase in the risk of heart disease.
They are also associated with an increased risk of weight gain. And because of the health risks, they have recently been removed from ready meals and other products, but they can still be found in some processed products, even artisanal ones, like those bought in bakeries.
The message for the population, the specialists agree, is that fats should be eaten in their natural forms.
“Thes fats found in their natural form in foods individually contribute to health in different ways,” Tew said. For example, dairy products contain saturated fat but also vitamins A and D and minerals such as calcium and phosphorus.
Why low-fat options aren’t always the healthiest
Food offered as skim or low fat They may contain more sugar and additives than high-fat foods. Also, a low-fat diet can increase hunger.
For weight loss nutritionist Kim Pearson, “combining fats with carbohydrates slows the release of sugars into the bloodstream, which helps stabilize blood sugar levels.”
“The fluctuations promote hunger, cravings and fat storage he explained. Focusing more on dietary fat and less on starchy carbohydrates can help stabilize blood glucose levels.”
It is that when a person eats too many carbs, your body does not use its fat stores as “fuel”, which is the goal when you want to lose weight. “The main function of carbohydrates is to provide energizedto, so as long as the diet focuses on them, the body will not be interested in turning to stored fat for energy.
This is how, as in other times, today, whole milk and even butter are back in vogue. In fact, many studies show that eating full-fat dairy instead of low-fat and skim is linked to a lower risk of obesity.
In this way, a study published in 2019 in Advances in Nutrition concluded that “full-fat dairy products do not cause weight gainthat general dairy consumption increases lean body mass and reduces body fatthat the consumption of yogurt and probiotics reduce weight gain, that the consumption of fermented dairy, including cheese, is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, and that yogurt, cheese, and even dairy fat may protect against type 2 diabetes.
More nuts and fish and (a little) natural fats
The nuts and dried fruit in general are high in heart-healthy polyunsaturated fats; monounsaturated-rich almonds, pistachios, walnuts and hazelnuts are even healthier.
In that order, a review of 2019 published in the magazine BMJ Nutrition Prevention and Health found that eating nuts reduces body fat.
“Increased daily consumption of nuts is associated with lower long-term weight gain and lower risk of obesity in adults,” the authors published.
The key, according to nutritionist Federica Amati, is that fats must be obtained from whole and natural foods.
It is known that the omega 3 fats, found in oily fish, improve brain and heart health. “Studies indicate that walnuts improve cognitive function and reduce markers of inflammation,” argued the specialist.
Meanwhile, the unsaturated fats, including polyunsaturated fats such as vegetable oils (rapeseed, sunflower oil, and peanut oil) and oily fish (such as salmon, sardines, and mackerel), can lower bad cholesterol while raising good cholesterol and reducing the risk of heart problems.
But it’s monounsaturated fats like olive oil, which are the unquestionable queens of fats. Research showed that they could reduce the risk of heart disease and that adding moderate amounts of extra virgin olive oil to the diet can reduce weight. According to Amati, the benefits of extra virgin olive oil, which is rich in polyphenols that fight inflammation, “surpasses anything else.”
At this point, it has already been seen that neither all saturated fats are the same.
A study of 2021 found no link between the total amount of saturated fat consumed by people and their risk of developing heart disease. In the place The Conversationstudy co-author Nita Forouhi, professor of population health and nutrition at the University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, noted: “We found that people who ate more saturated fat than red meat were more likely to develop heart disease. But the opposite was true for those who ate more saturated fat from cheese, yogurt, and fish.”
What is the difference?
“He yogurt and cheese contain vitamin K2 and fermentation products that previous studies have linked to a lower risk of heart disease,” Forouhi argued. He pentadecanoic acid found in proportionally higher amounts in milk fat is linked to a lower risk of heart disease. On the other hand, a saturated fatty acid called palmitic acid is present in greater amounts in red meat and is associated with an increased risk of heart disease.
At this point, Tew reaffirmed that “existing guidelines are that Saturated fats should represent less than 10% of calorie intake. She added: “Men should eat no more than 30 grams of saturated fat per day and no more than 75 grams of total fat, and women should eat no more than 20 grams of saturated fat and 50 grams of total fat.”
So if saturated fats aren’t all bad, and fats can even help you lose weight, What should the diet consist of?
Forouhi’s research suggests that you should ideally get most of your fat from natural foods like milk, cheese, fish and olive oil, not afraid of a bit of lard or red meat. Everything in the right balance of it.
The fat traffic light
According to what the specialists said, the fats at a traffic lightand, like the one who orders the transit, guide the allowed and the not so much of the food.
It would be something like this:
Green. Advance:
– Olive oil
– Oily fish
– Vegetable oils
– Avocado
– Nuts
Yellow. Eat in moderation:
– Butter
– Tropical oils (coconut oil, palm oil, cocoa butter)
– Red meat
– Whole milk, cheese and yogurt
Red. Avoid:
– Trans fats (they are present in fried foods, hard margarines and many commercial snacks, which should be avoided as much as possible)
– Low-fat or skimmed dairy
