Friday, April 15, 2011

REAL Fat is NOT the Enemy! PROCESSED Fat IS!


"Processed foods that claim to be “low fat” or “no fat” are typically not good for you, says nutritionist Alan Aragon, M.S., who writes a highly renowned nutrition review. If you need any evidence, look back at the low fat craze of the 1980s. During that time “fat-free” became a marketing buzz word that turned every food imaginable into a healthy option by demonizing fat. The problem: The idea that fat-free products equated to fat-free bodies was very misleading, says Aragon. In fact, during the fat-free rage, fat consumption decreased by 33 percent and obesity increased by 11 percent. Clearly fat is not the issue." 

"For years it was thought that saturated fats were evil and unsaturated fats were healthy. But a 50-year review in the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology found that a diet low in saturated fat does NOT prolong life."

"In fact, research shows that the fat in meat and milk (a saturated fat known as stearic acid) is actually good for you, says Aragon. And omega-3 fatty acids (which are commonly found in fish) can do everything from decrease blood pressure and inflammation, to improve bone healthy and help you lose weight."

"In contrast, trans fats, which are industrially produced and lurk under names like “partially hydrogentated vegetable oil,” will wreck havoc on your body."

"The bottom line: With the exception of trans fats, most of the fat you eat is not bad. In fact, one of the biggest adjustments Aragon has made is adding more fat to his client’s diets. But everything has a limit. As a guideline, Aragon suggestions eating .4 to .6 grams of fat per pound of your GOAL body weight. So if you’re a 130 pound woman who’d like to weigh 110 pounds, Aragon would suggest anywhere between 44 and 66 grams of fat per day (110 x .4 and 110 .6 to create the range). Don’t worry about the ratio too much as long as you consume your fats from a variety of whole food sources, and make sure that you consume fish (or use fish oil supplements if you don’t eat fish) 2-4 times per week to provide your body with the Omega 3s you need."



    

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