Ever since the 90s, a fat free or a low fat diet has been the craze, making fats one of the most misunderstood food groups. People always assume that fats are synonymous with weight gain, obesity, and illnesses. Well, most of these misconceptions are far from the truth.
Here are some of the so called “fat facts”, which prevent most of us from consuming them, debunked!
1) EATING FAT MAKES YOU FAT*Truth:
The fat you eat is very different from the fat your body stores and because it takes your body a long time to digest fat, the fat you eat helps keep you full. This stops you from eating extra calories (from any food source)— so eating fat can actually help you manage your weight. Studies show that it’s eating too much that leads to weight gain. The statement, therefore, should be changed to: Eating excess fat makes you fat.
2) SATURATED FAT CLOGS YOUR ARTERIES + CAUSES HEART ATTACKS*Truth:
For decades we’ve been told that the saturated fat in butter, cheese, and red meat can clog arteries and cause heart attacks. Yet a recent study, that put the final nail on this more than common misconception, found no link between eating saturated fats and increased risk of heart attacks. Although experts do not say saturated fat is totally healthy, they do emphasize on the fact that it isn’t unhealthy either.
Bottom line: Moderation is key.
3) CHOLESTEROL RICH FOODS ARE BAD FOR YOU*Truth:
Many healthy foods, due to containing large amounts of cholesterol, have always been demonized by nutritionists. The best example of this is eggs, which are actually one of the healthiest foods on the planet! Because of their high level of cholesterol, they were believed to cause heart diseases. However studies show that the cholesterol in eggs, raises the good cholesterol (HDL) in the blood, and is not associated with increased risk of heart diseases.
4) PROCESSED LOW FAT FOODS ARE HEALTHY*Truth:
Due to the fat free food craze mentioned earlier, manufacturers began to remove fat from their foods, and compensate for it by adding heaps of sugar for taste. So, most processed low-fat foods
are actually loaded with sugar, making them very harmful.