NOW YOU CAN EAT CHEESE, FULL-FAT DAIRY AND YET NOT SIN AGAINST YOUR BODY

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.