The truth about fat vs. sugar
There has been a lot of talk recently about the importance of understanding fat vs. sugar in an attempt to manage our waistlines and live a healthier life. Gone are the days where the focus was solely on cutting fat out of our diets, we’re now being made far more aware of the different types of fats and also the potentially (even more damaging impact of sugar, particularly given its increasing prevalence in our modern day diets.
The Truth About Fat
As it turns out, fat is not necessarily the main culprit behind weight-gain. In fact, good fats can actually help you to control your weight, as well as fight fatigue and manage your mood.
Good vs. Evil
So if the answer is not to cut out fat entirely, but rather to make healthier choices around the fats we include in our diet, which are the goodies and which are the baddies in the waistline war?
Good Fats:
Monounsaturated Fats
Present in avocados, nuts, peanut oil, sesame oil, canola oil, sunflower oil and olive oil
Polyunsaturated Fats
Present in fatty fish (like salmon, mackerel and sardines), flaxseed, tofu, walnuts, soybean oil, safflower oil and corn oil
These types of fats are good for your heart, increasing your good cholesterol levels and lowering the bad. According to the authors of ‘What the Fat?’, a low carb, healthy fat (LCHF) lifestyle is the key to maintaining (or reaching) a healthy weight. Get delicious LCHF recipes here.
Bad Fats:
They can be found in fried foods, commercially baked foods, packaged foods and solid fats like margarine.
The Truth About Sugar
Diets that are high in sugar and refined carbohydrates (bread, cereal, pasta and a lot of “low-fat” processed foods) wreak havoc on your body’s insulin levels. When your insulin spikes, the food you’re eating gets turned into body fat – more specifically triglycerides, which are one of the biggest causes of heart disease.
Meals that are high in carbs also leave you feeling a lot less satisfied than meals with adequate fat levels. This means you need to eat more frequently to keep your hunger at bay. Sugar, white flour and other refined carbohydrates are the main perpetrators for insulin spikes and weight-gain – avoid these and your body will thank you for it.
Pros for Being Sugar-free
No one says quitting sugar is easy – the addiction is very real, affecting both your body and your brain. If you make the choice to go sugar-free (or even to just reduce the amount of sugar in your diet), you should know what you’re in for. Remember: it is possible and once you do it, there are some pretty incredible benefits:
You’ll start to burn fat for energy
Your body’s main source of energy is carbohydrates, which means that you very rarely use your secondary source… body fat. If you restrict your carb intake, you’ll burn body fat and in turn, lose weight.
You won’t feel hungry between meals
One of the biggest battles in weight loss is the constant desire to eat. A lot of the time these hunger pains and cravings are actually caused by blood sugar fluctuations, a response to carbohydrates (particularly refined carbs). Cut the carbs and you’ll even out your blood sugar levels. No more false hunger pains. No more afternoon brain drain.
Your overall health will improve and you’ll just feel better
Many of the toxins in your body are stored in your fat cells, so burning fat as a source of energy (rather than carbohydrates), will help to detoxify your body. You may notice an overall improvement in your mood, your energy levels, and even an improvement in muscular or joint pain. Your blood pressure and cholesterol levels will also even out.
So what's the consensus? Sugar and 'bad' fats are definitely out and 'good' fats are in! A low carb, healthy fat (LCHF) diet could do wonders for your overall well-being, after all, it's never too late to make a change for the better.
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