We are so afraid of unhealthy fats that we begin to forget about the real enemy of a healthy body – carbohydrates. In this article, we will tell you the whole truth about fats.
We believe that fat is the only obstacle to a beautiful figure. Diets low in fat for decades are considered a way to live a healthy and long life. However, where did this theory come from, and does it make sense? The answers to these questions are in the book by Nina Teikoz, but we will offer you a short excerpt.
History
The theory that saturated fat is harmful to our health and leads to heart disease began its march worldwide in 1950, thanks to nutritionist Ansel Keys. During World War II, he invented a special diet for soldiers that were high in nutrients.
Keys was also interested in physiology and decided to direct his knowledge to the study of heart disease. Research led him to this conclusion.
Excessive consumption of fat by a person plays a key role in the development of heart disease.
Fat increases cholesterol levels → high cholesterol levels increase the chance of heart disease. Everything is logical.
Read also: Truth And Myths About The Benefits of Coconut Oil
In 1958, Keys began an experiment with humans, dividing them into two groups. The first group ate a large amount of food with saturated fats, the second – with unsaturated fats. The experiment showed that people’s cholesterol levels from the first group increased, and from the second – it decreased. A logical conclusion followed from this.
Saturated fat is bad, unsaturated fat is good.
Effects
Case’s hypothesis quickly spread throughout the world. The first organization to support it was the AHA (American Heart Association), which was engaged in research on cardiovascular diseases. Later, big publications such as The Times joined in, and almost everyone in the United States already knew that saturated fat is the main enemy of humanity.
The US government began pushing this idea into the food industry. Vegetable oils have become the main analog of animal fats. However, to use them in food, it was necessary to carry out a hydrogenation process. As a result, another product was obtained – trans fats.
Trans fats began to be used everywhere, and this could not but affect people’s health. A 1994 study by Joseph Judd showed the effect trans fats have on us. Two groups of people were taken. The first ate food high in olive oil; the second ate a high trans fat content. Based on this, a diet high in trans fats significantly increased cholesterol levels.
The study also went public, and now food manufacturers had to substitute for trans fats. And this replacement is still bad for our health.
Also read: 5 Rules For Buying, Storing And Preparing Mushrooms
Decision
As mentioned, the healthiest oils are unprocessed vegetable oils. However, when choosing a diet, you should pay attention, not to the amount of fat but the number of carbohydrates. You shouldn’t blindly hate saturated fats; they are also important for our health. But the two basic rules to follow in your diet are.
- A small number of carbohydrates.
- Adequate intake of the right fats.
And remember that the touted “low fat” foods are often full of sugar, which is far more harmful.
What do you pay attention to when buying groceries? For fats, carbohydrates, or do not steam at all about this?
Adapted and translated by Wiki Avenue Staff
Sources: Life hacker
