To Fat or not to Fat?

[Norfolkmummy]

Hi, I have dieted on and off for years and have had the “Low Fat” is best message tattooed on my brain. However I know that thought on this are changing. With high cholesterol I thought reducing Lipids is a good idea by adopting low fat diet and exercising. I am aware of healthy fats such as nuts, oily fish etc. But yoghurt ? Butter? Cheese? What is the evidence And what is the current advice please?

[JAS9]

Please be careful. There are a lot of people who like good news about their bad habits, so they listen to researchers who are paid by the dairy and egg industries to put out bad studies that make their products look good. And if you want to sell more magazines, you'll tell everyone that "Butter is Back!"

youtu.be/OIZaZq5lUew(Not working as expected?)

youtu.be/2Ftoy6jqxm8(Not working as expected?)

[sos007 Ambassador]

Without a doubt the knowledge that sugar and simple carbohydrates are the principle proponents for setting in motion that cascade of biochemical responses by the human body that eventually results in cardiovascular disease and many other related diseases, is beginning take root.

However, it is not as simple as fat vs sugar from a disease perspective.

Most people think in terms of the 3 major macronutrients - fat, carbohydrates and protein but there's more to it.

The body needs all 3 of these macronutrients - but not just the proportionate allocation of each is in question, it is also about type and quality.

Just like complex carbohydrates are preferred over simple or refined carbohydrates, mono and polyunsaturated fats are preferred over saturated fats.

When I read people saying that they are on a low carb, high fat, diet - I cringe a little, as I get visions of people gorging on things like bacon.

I personally am on a low carb (only complex carbs) diet. My fat intake is almost entirely from plant food, fish, nuts and seeds. Any animal protein I eat is kept to a very low portion size and it is usually a lean cut and is always organic and free range in the case of poultry and grass-fed, free-range in the case of beef. I avoid pork, cold cuts, sausages and bacon as they are 'processed' meats and are listed as a level 1 carcinogen on the World Health Organization website. I do though have small amounts of dairy - usually goat and sheep cheese products and a tiny amount of goat milk daily in my breakfast tea.

All real foods (unprocessed or minimally processed) have important micronutrients which are important for a healthy gut microbiome and healthy functioning of the body.

That said, what is missing in this discussion is the fact that the body runs on 'glycogen' which most people think requires the consumption of carbohydrates - what they don't realize is the body can run exclusively on fat only and if glycogen if very depleted to dangerous levels, it will synthesize its own glycogen through a biochemical series of processes that can tap into body fat or even muscle tissue.

There's also the issue of caloric density - fat has far more calories by volume, so you must therefore limit its quantity from that perspective.

Fat-centered diets also referred to as ketogenic diets, have been used historically to treat people with mental health illness, as well as those with epilepsy. So there must be some merit to leaning more toward fat as an energy source if it regulates the gut microbiome and therefore the entire body's hormonal system better.

So yes, you can have fat, make sure it is the good kind and limit its quantity. If you choose animal protein and dairy, try and stick with free range and grass fed sources.