The National Obesity Forum and the
Public Health Collaboration has come out with a recent report debunking the
widely accepted notion that for one to stay healthy, you have to stay away from
butter, cream, cheese and several other types of fatty foods.
When
I first saw the above declaration, my thoughts were ‘yippee, now I can down cheese’ without feeling like I have sinned
against my body. Unfortunately, my bubble of excitement went ‘kpoof’, bursting as quickly as I read
further on the report.
According to the report, *which
sounded somewhat confusing though* it says contrary to previous held views,
'eating a diet rich in full-fat dairy – such as cheese, milk and yoghurt – can
actually lower the chance of obesity” while adding however that 'the most natural and nutritious foods
available – meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, nuts, seeds, olives, avocados –
all contain saturated fat.'
When I read the latter part of the above statement, I was like ‘hmmm’ so what are we going to eat
that researchers wouldn’t come back to hound us with on how unhealthy the foods
are at the end of the day. From the look of things, we are going to be advised
even against drinking water on certain days of the week soon. *laughing*.
From the very first time I started thinking as a child, up until this
very moment, we’ve always being told about how dangerous it is to indulge in
fatty foods hence I’ve always tried to cut back on them. So it sounds somewhat
really confusing that eating a diet rich in full-fat dairy is healthy!
According to those behind the report, they affirmed that saturated fat
does not cause heart disease, and also interestingly added that full fat diary
can actually protect the heart. I can imagine you getting as confused as I was
when I first read it too.
Nevertheless, after going through the article, I was able to cull the following
conclusion as seen below from the report as stated in the Dailymail UK:
Without fat we would miss out on vital nutrients - the
vitamins A, D and E - and what are known as essential fatty acids which are
needed to prevent or control all kinds of ailments and conditions such as heart
disease, cancers, immune system deficiencies, arthritis, skin complaints, PMS
and menopausal symptoms.
The average intake of fat in Britain is currently
almost 40 per cent of our total daily calorie intake. In fact, the Department
of Health advises that this should be a maximum of 33 per cent.
This equates to 71g a day for women and 93.5g a day
for men. Women on a diet should reduce this to around 50g a day.
But this is not the whole picture. There are different
types of fat and you should try to eat more of some of these fats and less of
others.
Milk - If you’re drinking milk, it’s
better to opt for full-fat rather than reduced fat versions. You are allowed up
to half a pint of full-fat milk a day. Full-fat milk will make you feel fuller
for longer and studies have shown that some of the fatty acids in milk products
can help regulate weight.
Eggs – Contrary to popular belief, eggs are
actually good for you and can be consumed up to four times a week, experts say.
Studies have shown that dietary cholesterol does not increase cholesterol
levels in the blood so the next time you fancy an omelette, you should give in
to your craving.
Olive Oil – While it is safe to dress your salads
with it, olive oil can become carcinogenic when heated and should not be used
for frying. So the next time you’re planning on cooking with oil, opt for
rapeseed or sunflower.
Red Meat – It all depends on where your red-meat
comes from. Check the labels – 100g three to four times a week is fine but only
if the animal has been reared on a grass-diet.
Carbohydrates – We were once told that they should
make up to half of your daily food intake but the advice has now been
discounted. Steer clear of white carbohydrates and choose wholegrains instead.
Foods such as white rice, pasta and bread convert into sugar, which puts the body at
risk of Type 2 diabetes and cancer.
Processed meat – This is a definite no. Processed
meats contain high amounts of trans-fats and also have high levels of salt. So
as delicious as that bacon sandwich or Parma ham is, there really is no
nutritional benefit when it comes to eating it.
Yoghurt – Like milk, choose full-fat over low
fat if you want to reap the rewards of this food. Low-fat yoghurts are full of
sugar to replace the taste of the fats which have been removed from it.
Fruit juice – Touted as a health benefit, fruit
juice is actually bad for you. Even if you are juicing your own, the process of
extracting liquid from the fruit causes the loss of fibre, which is where all
the fruit’s nutrional benefits are. When you juice you are also consuming more
fruit (and thus sugar) than you would consume if you were actually eating it.
Chocolate – Very good for the heart but only have
ones with 70 per cent or more cocoa content. Milk chocolate and white chocolate
are full of fat and sugar with hardly any cocoa so it’s best not to indulge.
Butter – It’s better to have it in small
amounts than it is to opt for margarine or low-fat spreads.
Now we know, however, the mere fact that the report has ‘okayed’ the
consumption of certain fatty foods does not mean we can go on eating every
fatty foods that come our way.
