We’ve all heard the dietary advice to reduce fat, sugar and
salt and increase fibre. We’re all aware that obesity is on the increase and we
are told this is a bad thing. I’ve just been reading a couple of interesting
nutrition articles (yes, once in a while I hark back to my nutritionist days
and read some research) that challenge some of my prior knowledge and even the
advice that I have given people in the past. Much of what I read was familiar,
but some new angles on it came to light.
So, we think we need to reduce fat. But what does that
actually mean? The research actually shows that it is not so much about
reducing fat in our diet as it is about increasing a particular kind of fat –
polyunsaturated fatty acids (also known as PUFAs) and within that especially
what is known as ‘n-3’ and ‘n-6’ fatty acids. It seems that if we really want
to reduce risk factors for heart disease and diabetes, we should concentrate on
increasing PUFAs in our diet rather than focusing on cutting back saturated and
monounsaturated fats.
So, where can PUFAs be found? Good sources include vegetable
oils, nuts, seeds (for all three of
these some are better sources of n-6 and n-3 than others), avocados and oily
fish (like salmon, herring or tuna). Typically if you are trying to lose
weight, you might avoid these foods due to their fat content, but it is probably
more to your advantage to increase these foods in your diet than it is to lose
weight! Much to my chagrin I have been reading that being overweight can even
increase life-expectancy, rather than decrease it (though this doesn’t mean
that if you are happily slim I am about to advocate a weight-gain program) –
what is more important is behavioural patterns and the kinds of foods we eat,
rather than our actual size.
Also, if you reduce fats but just end up increasing refined
carbohydrates to replace them you could possibly be making things worse. Instead,
when eating carbohydrates, make sure that you are having them in the form of
whole grains, vegetables and fruits. If you are familiar with the Glycaemic
Index, you want to focus on low GI rather than high GI carbs. These foods can
all have a positive impact on your health.
Coming back to the issue of size. While ‘normal’ weight
people have lower levels of disease, there currently isn’t any real proof that
if an overweight person loses weight, they reduce their disease risk. What
seems to be more important is adjusting behaviour rather than size. In fact,
many people who try to lose weight often end up putting it back on again, and
then trying to lose it again, and it becomes something of a cycle. It seems
that this constant up and down is more harmful than staying a consistent
weight, harmful for both your body and emotional state!
In summary, if you want to improve your health and reduce
disease risk, focus on what you can increase rather than on what you can decrease.
Focus less on losing weight and more on listening to your body and
mind, taking note of how food affects your mood, concentration, energy levels,
fullness, hunger, ease of bowel movement and appetite. Enjoy your food! Focus less on reducing fat and calories and more on eating yummy foods like nuts,
seeds, avocados, oily fish, wholegrains, fruit and vegetables. And finally,
don’t forget to stay active – another vital ingredient for healthy living.
Let’s be amazed over our incredible bodies. Every cell is a
miracle – beautifully designed! I like to remember that we are all wonderfully
created, formed and fashioned by a God who loves us without partiality. So,
here’s to more yummy food!!
P.S. The above comments are based on the two articles listed
below. These articles look at a vast range of studies and compare and contrast
them to see what common threads emerge. If you look on the internet you will
find a load of people saying opposing things, and it’s true that advice changes
as new research emerges and what I have written may need adapting in ten years’
time, but let’s be careful who we believe!
Bacon, L. & Aphramor, L. (2011) Weight Science:
Evaluating the Evidence for a Paradigm Shift. Nutrition Journal 10:9
Liu, A. et al.
(2017) A healthy approach to dietary fats: understanding the science and taking
action to reduce consumer confusion. Nutrition Journal 16:53
