Back in the 80's, we had big hair, punk rock, and rapidly expanding waistlines. This was the era of the low-fat food craze. Manufacturers developed products ranging from low-fat cookies, pie crusts, and crackers to bizarre-sounding, oxymoronic foodstuffs such as non-fat whipped "cream" and non-fat "half-and-half." In order to remove the fat from these foods, extra sugars were substituted, often in the form of high fructose corn syrup. Because many of us are still stuck in the low-fat-is-the-key-to-losing-weight mentality, you can continue to find these products on the shelf of your local grocery store today.
Did these low fat products help people lose weight? No. During the 1980's, while munching away on low-fat cookies, Americans continued to get fatter and fatter. The current obesity epidemic was born. Didn't those low fat products contain less calories? Sure. But they also contained higher levels of refined carbohydrates that reek havoc with blood sugar levels, shooting insulin levels sky-high, especially in the absence of fat and protein. And of course, all the fats had been removed!
I recently watched an episode of No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain on DVD from our library. In it, he is observing a cooking class preparing charcuterie. The instructor is leading the class in an obviously oft-repeated chant:
Instructor: Fat is ________?
Class: FLAVOR!
Instructor: Fat is ________?
Class: Our FRIEND!
Instructor: We love _________?
Class: FAT!
Why is this instructor teaching his class to admire fat? Because when we remove fat from our foods, we lose more than just calories. We lose flavor. And we lose a major factor in creating satiety, along with protein. Fats and proteins linger in your digestive tract longer, helping you to feel fuller longer and helping that meal or snack to last hours longer. Turning to low fat carbs instead leads to more hunger more quickly. You may have eaten fewer calories to begin with, but in the long run, you are going to see more of those calories turned into fat on your body.
And in an episode of Jamie Oliver's Escapes exploring Les Pyrenees in France, he cooks and eats many of the local specialties, including confit de canard, various cheeses and charcuterie, truffle omelets, and lots of red wine. He discusses the "French Paradox" or the fact that this area of France consumes more saturated fat than the rest of the population while having THE LOWEST RATE of heart disease. Quite interesting, eh? Perhaps fat, and even the dreaded saturated fat, is not the major contributing factor we once thought it was.
So, if you are still stuck in the 1980's, chomping down on tasteless meals of low fat carbohydrates while sporting an enormous hair don't, maybe it is time to fast forward. Turn off that Squeeze album and bring yourself and your family up to date by adding more healthy fats to your whole foods diet. Some excellent sources of healthy fats are avocados (also very high in potassium!), olives and olive oil (containing anti-inflammatory agents, too!), most nuts, grass-fed butter, and many kinds of seafood and fish. Of course you want to avoid those nasty trans-fats made from hydrogenated oil, as well as corn and soybean oils, and anything deep fried. But enjoy your healthy fats on a daily basis!
P.S. I am only kidding about the hair and the music. By all means, keep those!
Did these low fat products help people lose weight? No. During the 1980's, while munching away on low-fat cookies, Americans continued to get fatter and fatter. The current obesity epidemic was born. Didn't those low fat products contain less calories? Sure. But they also contained higher levels of refined carbohydrates that reek havoc with blood sugar levels, shooting insulin levels sky-high, especially in the absence of fat and protein. And of course, all the fats had been removed!
I recently watched an episode of No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain on DVD from our library. In it, he is observing a cooking class preparing charcuterie. The instructor is leading the class in an obviously oft-repeated chant:
Instructor: Fat is ________?
Class: FLAVOR!
Instructor: Fat is ________?
Class: Our FRIEND!
Instructor: We love _________?
Class: FAT!
Why is this instructor teaching his class to admire fat? Because when we remove fat from our foods, we lose more than just calories. We lose flavor. And we lose a major factor in creating satiety, along with protein. Fats and proteins linger in your digestive tract longer, helping you to feel fuller longer and helping that meal or snack to last hours longer. Turning to low fat carbs instead leads to more hunger more quickly. You may have eaten fewer calories to begin with, but in the long run, you are going to see more of those calories turned into fat on your body.
And in an episode of Jamie Oliver's Escapes exploring Les Pyrenees in France, he cooks and eats many of the local specialties, including confit de canard, various cheeses and charcuterie, truffle omelets, and lots of red wine. He discusses the "French Paradox" or the fact that this area of France consumes more saturated fat than the rest of the population while having THE LOWEST RATE of heart disease. Quite interesting, eh? Perhaps fat, and even the dreaded saturated fat, is not the major contributing factor we once thought it was.
So, if you are still stuck in the 1980's, chomping down on tasteless meals of low fat carbohydrates while sporting an enormous hair don't, maybe it is time to fast forward. Turn off that Squeeze album and bring yourself and your family up to date by adding more healthy fats to your whole foods diet. Some excellent sources of healthy fats are avocados (also very high in potassium!), olives and olive oil (containing anti-inflammatory agents, too!), most nuts, grass-fed butter, and many kinds of seafood and fish. Of course you want to avoid those nasty trans-fats made from hydrogenated oil, as well as corn and soybean oils, and anything deep fried. But enjoy your healthy fats on a daily basis!
P.S. I am only kidding about the hair and the music. By all means, keep those!
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