Dietary fat and its brother macronutrient protein have been a trendy topic these days. From keto diets to fat bombs, fat has gotten a lot of attention, and for a good reason. Fat is one of the three macromolecules that our bodies need to function well. During short bursts of energy and for brain function, our body's primary fuel source is carbohydrates. However, for long, sustained energy, our body uses fat as fuel. Without going into too much detail, it's safe to say that our body needs dietary fat for long-term energy stores, cell function and insulation, and vital organ protection.
You may have heard some say, "you are what you eat." Right? Most times, that statement is true. Unfortunately, some people falsely believe that if they eat fat, they will become fat. Our most current dietary guidelines recommend consuming between 20-35% of our daily calories from fat. It was previously thought that a preferred low-fat diet could help reduce obesity, heart disease, along with other medical conditions. These recommendations clearly didn't work because as the trend for low-fat diets soared, so did the obesity pandemic. Despite the previous recommendation of consuming a low-fat diet, obesity continued to ravage our society from the young to the elderly. Currently, the trajectory of this has not made significant changes, and obesity continues to rise. Obesity, the leading cause of death in the United States, brings many health complications such as heart disease and diabetes, just to name a few. So, where did we go wrong?
The 'you are what you eat' trend helped cause the skyrocketing obesity rates from overconsumption of calories, not from dietary fat. The low-fat trend brought about overconsumption of calories by way of heavily processed foods. Low fat, processed foods are frankly unpalatable, and manufacturers know this. So, to compensate for poor taste, they replace the fat with added sugar. One teaspoon of sugar contains approximately 16 calories and 4 grams of carbohydrates. The added sugar can quickly rack up those calories! Have you ever noticed a Twizzler candy packet? In bold, proud letters, Twizzler boasts its low-fat snack! It may not have very much fat content. In fact, it has zero percent. However, it certainly has a bucket load of sugar per serving.
There are 19 grams of sugar in each Twizzler serving size. That amounts to almost an entire day's added sugar allowance. When manufacturers drastically reduce sugar to lower calorie content, they substitute sugar with artificial sweeteners, bringing a whole other host of problems. Twizzler is just one example of many brands which tout low-fat products but compensate them with added sugars and artificial additives. Think about those salad dressings with which we douse our healthy greens while believing we are making good choices. What about the box of wholegrain cookies we believe is helping us towards a healthier lifestyle by consuming our required wholegrains which we are recommended to eat daily? Our intentions may be good but perhaps clouded by misinformation. Salad dressing can easily be replaced with a homemade salad dressing containing olive oils, vinegar, and spices (check out our IG for some ideas). Our wholegrains can be sourced from oats, brown rice, and popcorn (for the needed treat!)
So the question is not low fat or high fat, but rather which fat is best consumed. Many of us have heard of saturated vs. unsaturated fats. Saturated fats include animal fats such as butter, cheese and coconut, and palm oil. These fats stay solid at room temperature and should be consumed in moderation. Too much-saturated fats can lead to heart health problems and obesity. Therefore, it should not make up more than 10% of your daily calories.
Unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature. They can be divided into monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats are found primarily in avocado, olive, and canola oil and nuts and seeds. Polyunsaturated fats include walnuts, omega-3 ( which can be found in fatty fish such as salmon), and flaxseed.
While previously believed that saturated fats are not good for you, studies have shown that saturated fat consumption in moderation is not harmful to you. Additionally, incorporating more unsaturated fats can only help improve our body's function. For example, unsaturated fats have been found to help improve blood cholesterol, reduce inflammation, decrease LDL (yeah!), and increase HDL (double yeah!).
So, what is our takeaway from all of this? Fat is a vital macromolecule that our bodies need to function well. Unless you have been prescribed a low-fat diet by a registered dietitian or physician, you need to incorporate plenty of unsaturated fat in your diet. Saturated fats may be consumed in moderation. It is essential to maintain a varied diet. Each macromolecule has its own distinct function. By omitting one, we are doing ourselves a disservice. Ideas of how to maintain a balanced diet can be found on Instagram and Facebook.
SOURCES
Added Sugar in the Diet | The Nutrition Source | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (n.d.). Retrieved June 10, 2021, from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/added-sugar-in-the-diet/
Facts about saturated fats: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. (n.d.). Retrieved June 10, 2021, from https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000838.htm
Nutrition Station | Just a Spoonful of Sugar? (n.d.). Retrieved June 10, 2021, from https://nutritionstation.com/just-a-spoonful-of-sugar/
Types of Fat | The Nutrition Source | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (n.d.). Retrieved June 10, 2021, from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/fats-and-cholesterol/types-of-fat/
What Do Fats Do in the Body? (n.d.). Retrieved June 10, 2021, from https://www.nigms.nih.gov/education/Inside-Life-Science/Pages/what-do-fats-do-in-the-body.aspx
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