The Great “Fat is Bad” Myth Debunked

by Dr. Peter Osborne
Author: "The Truth about Gluten."

Fat is Good

Eating fatty foods does not make one unhealthy or obese.  Depriving your body of fat can have serious detrimental effects to its function.  Your brain, your nervous system, your hormones, and the cell walls of your body are made from healthy fats.  Therefore, for your body to function at its optimal level, you need to replenish your body with a good source of FAT in your diet.  Key word  – GOOD!

Over the last 20 years, the “low-fat” “no fat”  products have been promoted heavily by commercials and doctors alike as heart healthy choices.  These products have taken over the shelves at the grocery store.  From milk and yogurt to candy (yes that’s right, candy) people have been  manipulated  into thinking that if it’s “low fat or no fat” this will help lower their cholesterol, reduce their risk of heart disease, and help them lose weight.  In fact, the opposite is true.  Recent research from the journal Behavioral Neuroscience found that fat substitutes can interfere with the body’s ability to regulate food intake which leads to inefficient use of calories and weight gain.

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Fat is an Essential Nutrient

What most people don’t know, including many doctors, is that Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin K, and Vitamin E are fats.   Eating low fat reduces the intake of these important essential nutrients.  Additionally, the omega 3 fats are essential to the human body and can only be found in healthy fat containing foods.  What does that mean?  Without these fats, your body cannot sustain normal function.

Fat Does Not Cause Heart Disease

The medical community has falsely placed blame on fats and lipids as a cause of heart disease.  What they don’t tell you is that the only type of fat that contributes to heart disease is man made chemical fats – These are known as Hydrogenated Fats. These lipids are commonly referred to as saturated fats.  It should be know however, that not all saturated fats are hydrogenated, and not all saturated fats are bad for you.  Only the man made ones.   Hydrogenated fats are not found in nature.  They are made by chemically forcing a hydrogen molecule into vegetable oils using a toxic metal catalyst.  These types of fats are commonly used as a preservative.  Common products with hydrogenated oils are:

• Peanut butter
• Crackers
• Margarine and other butter substitutes
• Cake icing
• Chewy candies (Starburst, Skittles)
• Processed baked goods (cakes, cookies, etc)

Hydrogenated fats are known to increase obesity, heart disease, cancer, and other chronic inflammatory conditions.  So we can safely say that the “skinny” on this chemically created fake food is that it will make you fat and sick.  To the contrary, diets rich in natural omega 3 fats are known to reduce inflammation, pain, reduce the risk of heart disease, lower LDL cholesterol, raise HDL cholesterol, and reduce triglycerides.

Eating Low Fat is Not Healthy

Not only does eating a “low-fat” diet deprive your body of essential nutrients (listed above), but it doesn’t lead to the weight loss you want.  In 2009, a study showed 645 obese patients who used a low-fat diet had NO CHANGE in waist circumference.

Don’t get drawn into the trap that man-made and man-altered products are better and healthier for your body than the food that God has provided.   Take a lesson from the past – Margarine, olestra (this one causes anal leakage), saccharin, aspartame, and sugared up cereals were (and in some cases still are) promoted as healthy and safe alternative foods, yet the scientific and social evidence would say otherwise.

Good Sources of Healthy Fats

• Avocado
• Nuts (almonds, macadamia, walnuts, pecans)
• Cold water fish
• Grass fed beef or bison
• Coconut

Common Sense Must Win in the End

If you need to lose weight and restore your health, you have to follow these simple principles:

• Exercises regularly (walking is not exercise)
• Don’t lead a sedentary lifestyle
• Eat Real Food!

If you doubt that low fat diets work, all you have to do is look around you.  We are surrounded by people who buy and consume low fat, no fat, and reduced Calorie products on a regular basis.  If these foods work, why is America so obese?

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References:

1. Susan E. Swithers et al.  Behavioral Neuroscience, 2011; 125 (4).
2. Anthony A. Bavry, M.D., M.P.H. and Deepak L. Bhatt, M.D., F.A.C.C. Comparison of Weight-Loss Diets With Different Compositions of Fat, Protein, and Carbohydrates. American College of Cardiology Cardiosource, 2009.

Wishing you excellent health,
Dr. Osborne – The Gluten Free Warrior

Dr. Osborne is an expert in functional medicine and chiropractic care.  He is Board Certified in Nutritional Medicine.  You can contact  his office at 281-240-2229.  He regularly  treats patients from across  the world.  His office is in Sugar Land, Texas in the Greater Houston  area.