Obesity has become a serious problem for people all over the world. Some are doing yoga to get rid of or avoid obesity while others are working up a sweat by going to the gym.
People who are more worried are following various diet plans on the advice of nutritionists. Whether it’s a doctor or a gym trainer, everyone generally has the same advice to reduce the amount of fat i.e. oil and fat in the food as it is said to be the main cause of obesity.
Doctors say that heart diseases are increasing due to fat because the accumulation of fat in the arteries obstructs the blood flow. But you might be surprised to learn that a lot of new research is emphasizing the use of fat.
It is advised that we should consume less saturated fat or saturated fat in our food.
In countries like UK, there is a formal policy made by the government but generally people do not follow this advice.
They believe that there is no harm in saturated fat if consumed in excess. Butter, ghee, full cream milk, cakes, cookies, coconut oil, palm oil, etc. are high in saturated fat, but they are not bad if consumed in a balanced amount.
Danger from saturated fat!
Keto and paleo diets are the norm these days to stay fit. It uses almost no fat. But interestingly, people who follow this diet eat more fat than the government’s recommended policy.
If your meals include cheese, cakes and pastries, you are obviously eating more saturated fat than most and you don’t even realize it.
According to the UK’s official Diet Chart, men should consume 30 grams of fat and women 20 grams per day. But cakes, pastries, biscuits and meat are the main part of the diet, so such people consume about 100 grams of saturated fat per day.
Medical science says that consuming too much saturated fat or saturated fat causes fat to accumulate in the arteries. It increases the risk of heart attack, but some scientists say that saturated fat is not the main cause of heart disease, but the main cause is chronic inflammation.
According to him, low carbohydrate and high fat formula is also not effective. Obesity and diabetes can be treated more easily after eating a high-fat diet, according to new research.
Fixed amount
In many countries, health authorities have established fat intake limits for the general population. In the UK it is recommended that people get 35% of their total energy from fat and 50% from carbohydrates.
In the case of saturated fat, this amount is even lower. According to UK health guidelines, saturated fat should come from drinks and should make up 11% of total dietary fat.
While according to the United States and the World Health Organization, this amount should be less than 10 percent. According to them, a woman should consume 20 grams and a man 30 grams of saturated fat per day.
The American Heart Association recommends keeping the fat content of food to 5 to 6 percent.
There is a wide variety of research on saturated fat. And there is a contradiction between them. In such a situation common people are in doubt as to what they should do.
High consumption of saturated fat
British food expert Lynn Garten says that people are consuming more saturated fat than other types of fat these days and this is a cause for concern.
Most people in the U.S. eat a moderate amount of fat. But they also get most of their fat from saturated fat.
According to Garten, there are many reasons for high blood fat levels, with saturated fat being a major cause. And this has been proven in the research done in the year 1950. Even if there are contradictions in the new research.
But most research confirms that low-density lipoprotein, or bad cholesterol, is the primary cause of heart disease.
It has also been observed that many people who eat low amounts of saturated fat also suffer from heart disease.
Substitutes for saturated fat
However, saturated fat is not as bad as it is made out to be. It is not bad if it is taken in proper quantity with a reduction in certain things.
But the effort should be to replace it with other types of fat.
Polyunsaturated fats or monounsaturated fats can be alternatives.
That is, sunflower oil, dry fruits and seeds of many types, olive oil, white mustard oil can be used to meet the fat requirement.
Their use reduces the chances of death from heart disease by 19 and 11 percent.
Apart from this, this deficiency can also be compensated by carbohydrates from coarse grains.
Sugar
Many people see sugars and starches as substitutes for saturated fat, which is completely wrong.
Many food companies also market low-fat products that are high in sugar and not good for heart health.
Also, saturated fat from stearic acid is not bad either.
Some researchers believe that it is wrong to think of dairy products as the cause of cholesterol.
Rather, research shows that people who consume more milk and yogurt have better health.
Because cheese, milk and yogurt are high in calcium and minerals that help balance blood pressure.
A balanced diet
The question is that today we have to think a lot about food whereas our grandmothers used to live for hundred years even after consuming ghee oil. How?
The answer is very simple. She did not breathe in today’s bad atmosphere. They ate and slept on time. Today our lifestyle has changed which is affecting the way we eat, sleep and even wake up.
Staying fit doesn’t require a lot of thinking. Whatever you eat, eat a balanced diet. Stay away from fast food like pizza, burgers, pastries, cold drinks etc as much as possible.
Focusing on a balanced diet and regular exercise is better than focusing on different nutrients.