Fat is in fats so the fats will make you fat (tongue-twister) right? Surprisingly, this is not necessarily true. Fatty acids are essential and needed in order for your body to be healthy and maintain a well balanced everyday routine. Not every fat is bad either; there are good fats! AKA polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats which are beneficial to your heart, cholesterol, and overall health. Good fats can be found in foods like tofu, olives, seeds, avocado, nuts, soy milk, peanut butter, and fatty fish (like tuna, salmon, and trout).
Fat is not as big and bad as it may seem. It just gets its bad rap from popular media and marketing antics, often categorizing fat as “bad” and calling it a day. Sneaky marketing tactics and powerful imagery disillusions people about fat, and it’s working! You cannot walk down a single aisle in the grocery store without seeing the big, proud letters that say “fat-free!” or “low in fat!”.
But don’t fall into the trap!!! What most people don’t know is that these “fat-free” and “low in fat” products actually contain chemicals and sugars which allow them to be palatable. In the end, it may do more harm than good.
So even though those low-fat and fat-free products may grab your attention, don’t get too caught up in the promises in weight loss- they will not help you lose weight in a healthy way at all! Instead… look for foods with good fat instead of no fat. While fat intake does depend on your lifestyle, age, weight, and overall health, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that the average person keep his or her total fat intake to 20-30 percent of calories, while limiting saturated fats (bad fats) to less than 10 percent of your calories and trans fats (more bad fats) to 1 percent of your calories.
Fat is not as big and bad as it may seem. It just gets its bad rap from popular media and marketing antics, often categorizing fat as “bad” and calling it a day. Sneaky marketing tactics and powerful imagery disillusions people about fat, and it’s working! You cannot walk down a single aisle in the grocery store without seeing the big, proud letters that say “fat-free!” or “low in fat!”.
But don’t fall into the trap!!! What most people don’t know is that these “fat-free” and “low in fat” products actually contain chemicals and sugars which allow them to be palatable. In the end, it may do more harm than good.
So even though those low-fat and fat-free products may grab your attention, don’t get too caught up in the promises in weight loss- they will not help you lose weight in a healthy way at all! Instead… look for foods with good fat instead of no fat. While fat intake does depend on your lifestyle, age, weight, and overall health, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that the average person keep his or her total fat intake to 20-30 percent of calories, while limiting saturated fats (bad fats) to less than 10 percent of your calories and trans fats (more bad fats) to 1 percent of your calories.