The most dreaded word in many dieter’s vocabulary is ‘fat’. It is not uncommon to hear a dieter discuss their avoidance of eating fat as if it were something thoroughly unwholesome, or even life-threatening, like an allergen, or a contagious disease.
In one way, this impassioned hatred of fat is positive. It reflects a generally understood medical truth that overindulging in fat-rich foods often causes unwanted, and unhealthy, weight gain.
However, in another way, this fat-phobia is potentially dangerous, because awareness of fat is not enough; an understanding of how fat influences weight gain and overall health is required. Unfortunately, those who dread and avoid all fat “as a rule” are overlooking an important difference between saturated fat and unsaturated fat.
Saturated fat is often the real culprit when it comes to unwanted, and potentially unhealthy, weight gain. These types of fats, which are solid at room temperature, initiate the production of LDL cholesterol, or “bad cholesterol”. In addition to weight gain, as cholesterol increases, so does the risk of heart disease. In fact, saturated fats increase LDL cholesterol disproportionately more than dietary cholesterol itself; that is how powerfully bad it is to the human body[i]. Dreading and avoiding this kind of fat is therefore quite intelligent.
Some dieters, however, are motivated less by concerns about high cholesterol and heart disease than they are about cosmetic weight gain. This is not a criticism; the adverse health effects of excess weight are well documented, as are the emotional traumas and social stigmas that tragically affect tens of millions of overweight people, especially children[ii].
Unquestionably, an excess intake of saturated fat is linked to weight gain. This is because a fat gram contains more than twice the amount of calories as a protein gram – 9 calories versus 4 calories[iii]. As a result, dieters can eat more than twice as many protein grams as fat grams to achieve the same amount of caloric intake. For dieters who are steadfastly watching every calorie, this 125% calorie difference between protein and fat can have an enormous impact.
Fat cells, once created, cannot be removed[1]; they can only be made smaller through the body’s metabolic calorie-burning process[iv]. Since an individual’s rate of metabolism is determined largely by genetics, a dieter with a slower than average metabolism will spend months, perhaps even years longer struggling to shrink fat cells then would his or her metabolically-gifted counterpart[v].
It is quite easy to understand, based on the above discussion, why the very idea of fat is dreaded by dieters; both because of the health hazards it poses, and its capacity to create excess fat cells. And it is just as easy to understand why many people are so afraid of consuming this kind of fat that they strive to remove all fat from their diet. This, however, is a large nutritional oversight.
Fat is a macronutrient that the body requires for a number of important functions. Fat is a source of energy. It helps keep the body warm, it aids in the absorption of some vitamins, and helps regulate the proper functioning of the brain and nervous system[vi]. This appears, however, to be a contradiction.
On the one hand there are health and weight gain hazards associated with fat, and on the other hand, there are proven health benefits associated with fat. How can this be? The answer is easily understood when we differentiate between the two types of fat: saturated and unsaturated. The kind of fat associated with health hazards is the former; the kind that the body needs and uses effectively is the latter.
There are two sub-types of unsaturated fat: polysaturated fat, and monosaturated fat. Popular foods that contain polysaturated fat include safflower oil and corn oil, while monosaturated fats are found in such foods as olive oil and peanut oil. These unsaturated fats are those that provide the body with the most useful and efficient sources of fat that lead to the health benefits noted above.
However, though there is a clear benefit to eating unsaturated fats instead of saturated fats, both types continue to offer eaters the standard 9 calories per gram. As such, no eater should consume an excess amount of fat.
Equipped with the awareness and understanding that avoiding saturated fat is hazardous to health, and that there is such a thing as “good” (unsaturated) fat, it would be expected that most nutritional supplements on the market have created foods that reflect this understanding. This is, regrettably, not the case.
Most nutritional supplements contain some fat content; many even contain saturated fat for some inexplicable reason[2]. Tragically – and there is no other word – many dieters are deceived into eating self-described nutritionally intelligent foods that may be “low calorie”, and may even have some vitamins and nutrients, but they but they are adding to the individual’s limited capacity to ingest fat grams. Many people who seek to lose weight by eating nutritional supplements often gain weight. They erroneously believe it is the result of a slow metabolism, when the culprit is the amount of fat grams ingested.
Fortunately, there are several fat-free food supplements on the market today. There are several important benefits of this strategy that benefit dieters of all sizes.
The obvious benefit is that a dieter does not have to count fat calories when eating these nutritional supplements; they are 100% fat free, and do not add to their daily fat-intake limit.
Less obviously, however, is that a zero-fat nutritional supplement that contains protein can stimulate the digestive system and minimize fat storage. This is because the protein content can help regulate the body’s ability to effectively absorb the calories that it derives from carbohydrates and fats. For example, a dieter who eats a sugary, fat-filled cupcake can mitigate fat storage and increase nutrient utilization by eating it with a protein-rich nutritional supplement.
The world of nutrition has long since known the link between dietary fat and weight gain. Unsaturated fat can be a trusted ally in the fight against weight loss. Understanding how it differs from saturated fat helps demystify the stigma of unsaturated fats – a stigma that should be reserved for its unhealthy cousin, saturated fats.
ABOUT PROTICA
Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm with offices in Lafayette Hill and Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. Protica manufactures capsulized foods, including Profect, a compact, hypoallergenic, ready-to-drink protein beverage containing zero carbohydrates and zero fat. Information on Protica is available at http://www.protica.com
You can also learn about Profect at http://www.profect.com
Copyright - Protica Research - http://www.protica.com
[1] Fat cells can be removed externally, through such methods as liposuction and stapling, but these so-called solutions carry their own brand of risks and consequences.
[2] Actually, the reason is usually because of taste.
[ii] Source: “The Surgeon General's Call To Action To Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity”. US Department of Health and Human Services.
http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity/calltoaction/fact_adolescents.htm
[iv] Source: “Can Diabetics Benefit from the Removal of Fat?”. Washington University Physicians.
http://wuphysicians.wustl.edu/newsArchive.asp?navID=1&category=home&ID=288
[v] Source: “Weight Loss Understanding Why Diet’s Don’t Work – and what DOES Work”. Healthynewage.com.
http://www.healthynewage.com/losing-weight.htm
[vi] ibid.
About the author:
About Protica
Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm with offices in Lafayette Hill and Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. Protica manufactures capsulized foods, including Profect, a compact, hypoallergenic, ready-to-drink protein beverage containing zero carbohydrates and zero fat. Information on Protica is available at http://www.protica.com
Why
Your Diet May Not Be Working!
by: Nishanth Reddy
Jennifer, a middle-aged single mother with one
six-year-old daughter, has been skipping sweets for a few weeks now. She’s
also become a stickler for portion control. She feels as if she’s eating
less than ever, and she’s been diligently exercising for an hour at a time
at least four days a week. Yet, she hasn’t lost a single pound. The
question is, “Why?”
This is a dilemma which affects dieters the world over.
They think they are taking the steps necessary to lose weight, but nothing
seems to be happening. In essence, they are trapped in a dieting rut and
they don’t know how to free themselves. As a result, they become
frustrated and depressed and may then engage in binge eating.
One of the problems with diets is that they are often
standardized. As a result, they don’t take into consideration your
individual physiology and metabolism. They provide a cookie-cutter
approach to weight loss—an approach which may not work in your individual
case. As a result, an increasing number of people are turning to
dieticians to formulate a person weight loss strategy for them. This
process has been made easier through the Internet, where you can
correspond with a dietician any time of the day or night via e-mail. The
dietician can also act as your personal coach, helping you through your
dieting dilemmas.
Another reason that you may be failing at your diet is
because of a lack of support. You may have family members who can eat
whatever they want and seemingly not gain a pound. As a result, they may
fill your refrigerator with junk food, leading you into temptation. Also,
you may feel as if you have no one to turn to in order to discuss your
weight problems. In order to solve this problem, many individuals look to
psychotherapists to help them with their food-related issues. This can be
particularly important if an individual has turned to purging in an effort
to combat their weight problems. Bulimia is a serious disease which must
be treated in order to ensure the good health of the patient. Thankfully,
there are a number of treatment programs throughout the U.S. specifically
focusing on bulimia.
Yet another reason for diet failure is hidden calories.
You may literally be consuming calories and not even realize it. For
instance, the frappucinos that are so popular today are loaded with
calories—as many as 600 in a single serving! You may also be indulging in
sugary sodas—another source of extra calories. By taking a few simple
steps, such as eliminating the exotic coffee drinks from your diet and
substituting skim milk for whole milk, you may be able to eliminate the
hidden calories that are denying you dieting success.
Lack of consistency can also be a diet-killer. You might
go on a diet for a while, then quit before you’ve made any measurable
progress. It’s only natural to want to see quick results. The problem is
that healthy weight loss involves losing only a couple of pounds a week.
That means you’ll have to stay on your diet for months before you see
appreciable weight loss. Discouraging? It can be, but if you keep a
positive attitude you can achieve your ideal weight.
You may also be more successful in your dieting if you
consider it to be a lifestyle change. Therefore, your diet becomes a meal
plan for life. This means that you must change the way you look at food.
It is designed to be fuel for your body, and nothing more. As a result,
you should not turn to food to make you feel better or to provide you with
a sense of comfort. A lifestyle change implies commitment; it means that
you are prepared to follow the plan for the long haul. If you feel as if
you cannot be on your diet for any appreciable length of time, perhaps
it’s time to consider a different diet. Your aim ultimately should be not
simply to lose weight, but to become healthier. A fad diet will not allow
you to reach that milestone. Therefore, you must choose your diet
carefully.
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