Big fat lie about low fats

Healthy Food Nutrition
#1

Yesternight, I watched a show called Big fat lie about low fats. This Northern Irish photo model Zoe Salmon embarks on testing the low fat foods for 30 days. She measures the effects on her body, and consults with professional dieticians throughout the process.

During the diet, she significantly suffers from mood disorder, felt bloated and constipated, and overwhelmingly tired. The low fat products made her eat and eat more.

At the end of the 30th day, it is found out that her blood pressure decreased, and she gained a lot of antioxidans; in return she put on 3 pounds, and her blood sugar increased (which causes diabetes if happens regularly).

So the long story short, low fats ain’t that healthy. What is more, it seems that the food companies put something in those products that makes you addicted to a certain product, and thus ensure that you become a regular buyer. (In the same programme, there were also two other women who were unbelievably addicted to kellogs special and diet coke respectively for over 7 years).

A little bit to think about how an alleged healthy diet could in fact dig your grave…

#2

yeah they take the fat out and replace it with processed carbs.

#3

thanks for the opinion. its very useful.

#4

we obviously need fats, so which should we choose? פילאטיס

#5

[QUOTE=High Wolf;51702]

So the long story short, low fats ain’t that healthy. What is more, it seems that the food companies put something in those products that makes you addicted to a certain product, and thus ensure that you become a regular buyer. (In the same programme, there were also two other women who were unbelievably addicted to kellogs special and diet coke respectively for over 7 years).

A little bit to think about how an alleged healthy diet could in fact dig your grave…[/QUOTE]

I tried to find details on what exactly this regimen consisted of - I couldn’t find anything specific.

But the op alludes to processed foods. And I think it’s important to distinguish a low fat plant based diet with low fat junk food.

Low fat whole foods and processed junk food just aren’t comparable.

Vic

#6

An MD that is a friend of mine told me this 20 years ago

He also added that people see the label Low fat and assume that means they can eat twice as many as the original with all the fat… which is a very wrong assumption

#7

my theory is eat anything you want just don’t eat massive quantities like we like to in the US. we value quantity over quality here.

no reason to deny something you like, just don’t eat if all the time. portion control.

many people in europe eat high fat things and don’t have the problems with obesity we have.

the low fat items tend to have way more sodium in them, to make up for the lack of , well, taste that fat gives us. I crave less if I eat fat b/c we need it in our diets.

#8

your body needs some fats, and I agree Chitta, its all about portion control over here in the states. Just eat the good stuff and a little of the bad stuff.

#9

Have you heard about Olestra ? Brand name Olean? Made from crude oil 0% calories trans fat. Used in restorants, baked goodies, dressings, ships, margarine, shortages,…you name it.

Very popular and 0 calories! WOW! … but this thing stops absorption of vitamins, causes loose of photochemical, causes digestive upset, anal leakage, and other nice things.

I buy only whole milk, whole butter. I do not care if I gain 2 pounds of good fat…rather than die from 0 calorie fat.

#10

[QUOTE=victw;54329]I tried to find details on what exactly this regimen consisted of - I couldn’t find anything specific.

But the op alludes to processed foods. And I think it’s important to distinguish a low fat plant based diet with low fat junk food.

Low fat whole foods and processed junk food just aren’t comparable.

Vic[/QUOTE]

Yeah, that is the case. Low fat proccessed food such as the Weight Watchers products in Britain are something to be wary of. We want to burn our body fat to feel healthier and look more athletic, but need to make sure that we are getting things like polyunsaturates and monounsaturates fats, protein to prevent muscle degradation, iron to keep our blood pressure level, and natural sugars from carbonhydrates to have a normal heart rate and food-processing speed.

Processed low fat foods including ready meals of any variety and energy drinks are simple malignant. They take the fats but put more artificial sugar in it to make the product tastier and indeed, get you properly addicted to the same product. There is an established fact that among people who consume low fats, the chance of having diebetes is increasing.

However, in some food, “reduced fat” points out a different category. For example, there is skimmed, semi-skimmed milk, where indeed no extra sugar is added, but simply the fat rate is reduced. And this effects the taste too.

We need fats and fiber to maintain health and minimize illnesses. But more likely the natural forms of them. Such as monounsaturates, polyunsaturates, and Omega 3. If fish is not available, better to have a moderate amount of daily intake of dried nuts and fruits.

#11

[QUOTE=Chitta Control;54353]my theory is eat anything you want just don’t eat massive quantities like we like to in the US. we value quantity over quality here.

no reason to deny something you like, just don’t eat if all the time. portion control.

many people in europe eat high fat things and don’t have the problems with obesity we have.

the low fat items tend to have way more sodium in them, to make up for the lack of , well, taste that fat gives us. I crave less if I eat fat b/c we need it in our diets.[/QUOTE]

Ayurveda to the rescue!

The problem also lies with people trying to be who they aren’t, no use for a kapha trying to be thin as a vatta or pitta constitution person, specially when being thin as a bloody plank is the norm to be considered beautiful, men should stop propagating this nonsense!

#12

I accept humans in all shapes and sizes. All I would recommend is that they remain healthy. Obesity and anorexia are not healthy. Everybody should eat as per their own body type(dosha) to remain in harmony with it. If they do not, they will create imbalances and disease will certainly set in.

A lot of us will have a general idea of what food is good for us and what is not. As a vata I don’t need to be told cold food is not good for me, because I always detect an inbalance when I take cold food, especially like ice creams. On the other hand, when I injest warm food I feel good. As a Vata I can eat loads and a lot of my friends are suprised by how much I eat and yet can remain relatively thin, so I usually don’t need to worry about fat content. I can even eat 12 inch pizzas several times in the week and not get any fatter. I do prefer eating food high in fat with loads of butter/ghee. What I am disadvantaged in is putting on weight and muscle, I need to eat 4000 calories to put on about a pound a week. I tried doing that in the past when I was weight training, and it took up too much of my time and felt really unnatural how much food I was consuming. In the end it was not worth it, so I gave it up. Now I eat only enough to maintain my current weight.

#13

Who paid for that study/show?

If you look at where the fattest people on earth live (ie Louisiana) and look at the make up of their foods, you will find a lot of saturated fat and deep frying trans fat.

And most of these people are tired and worn out.

If you look at where many of the thinnest people live (East Asian Countries like Japan and China) and look at their diet you will find a lot of white rice and many other carbs like buckwheat etc.

And these people from these areas are very active and alert.

#14

[QUOTE=Chitta Control;54353]
many people in europe eat high fat things and don’t have the problems with obesity we have.[/QUOTE]

The french people eat a lot of bread. The eat it for breakfast, they eat it for lunch, they eat it with dinner. And they eat long loaves of it. I lived in France for a bit and that was my experience. They also did not put loads of butter on the bread, just a light scrape.

Their meat pieces were very small. Not enough to fill you up, that was done with the bread.

I know the internet would like you to believe otherwise, but I have to rely on my personal observation first.

(Mediterranean food is also mostly carbs. Olive oil is not poured onto everything but rather lightly garnished on a few things here and there)

#15

The myth is that if you eat too much bread then you will be become fat. :wink:

#16

[QUOTE=Surya Deva;61049]I accept humans in all shapes and sizes. All I would recommend is that they remain healthy. Obesity and anorexia are not healthy. Everybody should eat as per their own body type(dosha) to remain in harmony with it. If they do not, they will create imbalances and disease will certainly set in.

A lot of us will have a general idea of what food is good for us and what is not. As a vata I don’t need to be told cold food is not good for me, because I always detect an inbalance when I take cold food, especially like ice creams. On the other hand, when I injest warm food I feel good. As a Vata I can eat loads and a lot of my friends are suprised by how much I eat and yet can remain relatively thin, so I usually don’t need to worry about fat content. I can even eat 12 inch pizzas several times in the week and not get any fatter. I do prefer eating food high in fat with loads of butter/ghee. What I am disadvantaged in is putting on weight and muscle, I need to eat 4000 calories to put on about a pound a week. I tried doing that in the past when I was weight training, and it took up too much of my time and felt really unnatural how much food I was consuming. In the end it was not worth it, so I gave it up. Now I eat only enough to maintain my current weight.[/QUOTE]
How does your weight training look like? Do you do squat, deadlift, pullups, power cleans, bench press etc? If you are not lactose intollerant, you can also try GOMAD. I am sure, you’ll gain weight. http://stronglifts.com/gomad-milk-squats-gallon-gain-weight/

#17

There are fats and then there are fats.

The “bad” fats (corn oil, safflower oil, lard, etc.)) shouldn’t be “lowered” in our diets; they should be completely replaced.

The “good” fats (olive oil, pomegranate oil, avocados and avocado oil, pumpkinseed oil, etc.) shouldn’t be “lowered” in our diets; they should be increased.

We NEED omega oils (omega-3 especially but also some omega-6 and omega-9).

There’s a HUGE misunderstanding out there about “fat” which is leading to unhealthy choices and mass media misinformation (such as the example you gave about the celebrity challenge).

Thank you, High Wolf, for bringing this to all our attentions.

#18

I think the keyword here is unprocessed. If you just eat real food, you shouldn’t get fat.
I try and follow a Caveman/Paleolithic approach myself. Lots of seasonal Veg, nuts, seeds, some fruit, and meat. “Fat” becomes a problem when it is manufactured.

#19

Lockwood, you just opened a hornet’s nest here.

The general consensus with all the experts and authorities (I’m not one but I do respect their insights) is that the word “processed” means anything touched by the human hand to alter it from its natural state.

When there is mass washing of vegetables by a farmer to take them to market, that is officially called processing the veggies.

When olives are pressed to retrieve the oil, the resulting olive oil officially becomes processed (in fact, you can’t get olive oil without processing).

Nuts and seeds which have been shelled (pumpkin seeds, cashews, almonds, etc.) are processed by virtue of the removal of the hull.

So, to respond to your comment, MANY processed foods (according to the official definition of processing) are fabulous for you (coconut oil which requires processing of the coconuts to extract the oil, all the green veggies at the grocers which require washing and bundling to be allowed to be displayed, etc.).

What I think you meant to say is that the food you ingest oughtn’t contain added chemicals (such as preservatives, bad salt, bat fat, etc.).

I just added this for clarity’s sake …

By the way, eating “real” food is no guarantee of not getting fat. I know people (a whole family) who eat sweet potatoes/potatoes, honey, apples, bananas, and pears (all organic) with almost every meal and they’re all very overweight (they also follow a strict vegan diet).

The key is your choices – moderation of any starches; lots of non-sweet fruits like cucumbers, lemons, and tomatoes; a balance of all the essential mineral salts; and a high percentage of dark greens and good oils.

From my experience, that’s a good foundation for a maintaining a healthy and stable weight.

#20

Could not have said it any better. Thanks SunshineHeart :slight_smile: