Fat Or No Fat, That Is The Question?

It would seem that dietitians can’t really get on the same page when it comes to healthy eating. Some suggest that you should completely banish carbs and all kinds of fat from your diet while others claim that we need a portion of “healthy fats” so that our bodies could function normally.

In a world where obesity has become one of the most widespread health problems, nobody seems to know for sure what exactly is and isn’t working. There are some rules that are universally followed that actually don’t give the promised results, and there are some solutions that have proven to be correct over the years.

When it comes to red meat, for example, most experts agree that you should definitely think about reducing its presence on your plate, as it is quite fatty, not to mention the “probable cause for cancer” that was dropped last year. Many scientists disagree with this claim, though, as all the evidence stays in the realm of possibility. But, if you are trying to lose weight or are struggling with high cholesterol levels, you should reduce your red meat intake to 70g a day, or eliminate it from your diet completely for some time. You can always replace red meats with poultry meat, as well as lean fish.

The biggest battle that is currently going on is about food that is starch-based, such as rice, potatoes, bread, and pasta. While starchy foods are excellent for filling the gap between greens and meat, they can also be filled with sugar, not to mention carbohydrates. Most diets suggest opting for the whole wheat solutions, which consist of starchy products and vegetables, but even whole wheat can be highly processed. What is probably the best option is to make your own bread, this way you will be sure exactly what you are eating.

The one misconception that has thankfully been debunked is the fact that eggs can poorly affect your cholesterol levels, and for that, you should limit them to 1 per day. There is no substantial evidence for this claim, however, so as long as you don’t overeat, a few eggs every now and then are not a problem.

The products that have low-fat labels are often the ones we reach for the fastest. However, just because something doesn’t contain much fat doesn’t mean it’s not loaded with sugar, usually refined sugar, which is one of the worst condiments you can eat, so think twice before you decide to buy anything “light” or “low-fat” again, it might be just as bad for your waist line as regular processed foods.

If you are a fan of all those fizzy drinks and heavily aroma-infused juices, you need to switch to black coffee or tea if you wish to see real results when it comes to your weight loss. The color of those beverages is enough to show you how unhealthy they actually are. So, unless you are making your own freshly squeezed juice, skip juice altogether, your body will be grateful.

In case you are a ‘spread person’ (and who really isn’t?), this might be one of the reasons why it is more difficult for you to lose the centimeters. Most spreads, margarine, in particular, are full of saturated fats, which is not good news for your digestive tract. According to Telegraph Lifestyle, if you truly can’t live without something creamy on your whole wheat toast, let it be butter, it’s more natural.

Speaking of saturated fats, there is a considerable difference between the ones that can be found in highly processed foods and the ones that can be found in olive oil or fish. Mono-unsaturated fats, the healthier kind, will help your metabolism run smoothly so you should eat nuts and avocados. As for omega fats, they are found in pretty much anything that swims.

When push comes to shove, everything seems to be quite simple – we neglected that we should dedicate our time and effort into cooking food from scratch, so we often load up on the highly processed foods because it is easier, faster, and cheaper. Our metabolism disagrees, though, and you can certainly see the difference in both the way you feel and the way you look if you consume products that have more ingredients than you have fingers. Lighter cuisine, such as Mediterranean cuisine, suggests Telegraph Lifestyle, will quickly restore balance to your body with large amounts of fish and seafood in general, nuts (unsalted), veggies and fruit, as well as beans and lean meats.