Does Eating Fat Make You Fat?

You would be excused in thinking that it did with all the hype about low fat diets. However, some fats do contribute to an expanding waist line while others actually help us keep trim.

I wrote about how fats can aid weight loss here: Lose Weight by Eating Fat

This week I’m going to look at fats that do the opposite. Even if you don’t want to lose weight these types of fats are best avoided as they are really bad for health generally.

Many fats that are commonly eaten in our diets these days are not natural fats. Unnatural fats are not easily used by our bodies. Because they aren’t natural our bodies can’t use them to make things like hormones or other structural things.

Which Fats Are Bad For You?

Trans fats. These fats are completely alien and our bodies aren’t well equipped to deal with them. This is especially true if you aren’t eating plenty of fresh food with lots of vitamins and minerals – these are needed to burn fat as fuel. The body will usually go for the easy option with these and just put them into storage. Trans fats are found in margarines, most fried foods, a lot of cake and biscuits.

Refined fats. Margarine is a example of a refined fat. For example – marg made out of olive oil. Olive oil is liquid at room temperature so to make it solid it has been altered. This process is hydrogenation – it produces abnormal fats.

Most oils have been refined, resulting in abnormal fats within them. Also – the refining process strips out most of the vitamins and minerals which are needed for our bodies to make use of the fats. Without them these fats will go to fat storage instead of being burned as fuel.

How to reduce abnormal fats in your diet:

1. Frying is not a good option but if you have to, use butter – this does not change to trans fats under high heat
2. Use butter (in moderation) instead of margarine. Even better – use virgin olive oil for dipping
3. The only commercial oil which hasn’t been refined is virgin olive oil, extra virgin is even better – use on salads
4. Avoid mass produced cakes and biscuits – who knows what’s in these!

Uber Health to you, Dr Julie (any ads that appear are nothing to do with me, I am NOT endorsing)

PS   I am looking for a hand full of volunteers to who want to lose weight and would like my help over the course of a few months, starting June/July 2013. Please email me if you are interested  

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