By now, most of us understand that healthy fats are critical for brain, heart and gut health. Yet so many still reach for those “fat-free” labeled foods in the supermarket. We give credit to those clever marketing agencies that craft an alluring message of a “healthier option” with fat free versions of their products, but these do more harm than good.
If you see “fat-free” on a label, that means they’ve removed the fat, and replaced it with a host of chemicals or preservatives to try and mimic the flavor of the original product, but without the fat content. Comparing ingredient lists between the two products is a sure fire approach to discovery on this front.
Back in the 70’s, the American Heart Association, along with nearly every major medical institution in the US, was convinced by a physiologist named Ancel Keyes, who convinced this population that saturated fat was the cause of heart disease. This led a fear of fat to wave across the country, encouraging food manufacturers to come up with pseudo-food that removes fat out of people’s favorite packaged goods.
This theory has been mis-proven again and again through actual research but convincing the masses can take far longer than it should. Especially when the food industry has an interest in maintaining their market share. Clever packaging and convincing sentiments on containers of these foods make it confusing when shoppers are trying to make the right choice in the store.
1. Low-Fat or No-Fat Foods Can Make You Sick and Fat.
Fat free living robs your brain of essential nutrients that protect it and help it perform optimally. Not only that, but when people swap out fat, they’re often left with a carb option to take it’s place ,further instigating the obesity epidemic in our country. Additional sugars stimulate the release of insulin, which helps our body store fats and causes inflammation throughout our system.
So unless you’re a marathon runner or extreme cyclist, you’re not going to need an abundance of carbs. And even if you do fall into those categories, you’re going to be choosing healthy carbs to fuel your athleticism, unlikely boxed snacks.
2. Low-Fat Robs Your Body of Essential Nutrients
A food requires processing in order to remove fat content from a food. So that removes a lot of the flavor and in order to keep your food tasting decent enough, sugars need to be added to mimic the real deal. So your body is denied the good fats it needs and starts getting a lot of garbage it was never designed to ingest.
Fat free dressing? Say no to that, and use a little less of the full fat version so your body can actually absorb the nutrients in that salad. And if you want to level up your salad game, go with some olive oil and herbs or spices for even more vitamin-nutrient power house action.
3. Low-Fat Foods Keep You Hungry
Healthy fats are like logs on a fire, the opposite of fast-burning kindling (otherwise known as carbs). Eating healthy fats satisfies your hunger and keeps you running longer without feeling the need to snack.
Adding almonds, walnuts or cashews, some nut butter with vegetables or a little avocado in your salad, will take you a lot further than avoiding the fats, and it will help your body burn fat naturally. After all, cut fat out of your diet, and your body has no choice but begin to store it. Your body needs fats so it’ll find a way to get them if you choose to omit them from your diet.
Stay Well!