Fat Isn’t Making You Fat

The low-fat movement started due to the overwhelming belief (with no scientific evidence to support it) that fat makes us fat. However, we are now learning that fat is not the culprit we should be blaming. When fat is removed from foods, sugar, refined vegetable oils, and other additives are added to create the texture and flavor of fat. Heart disease, cancer, and diabetes continue to affect more and more people despite the fact that low-fat foods that have invaded grocery store shelves.

Why is fat important? Fat helps develop our brains, keeps us full, prevents cravings, and helps absorb fat soluble vitamins. Eating a healthy fat with a carbohydrate will slow down the absorption of sugar into our bloodstream, which is important for blood sugar balance. Why is this important to our waistlines? When our blood sugar increases, insulin (our fat storing hormone) is put to use. The more insulin our body produces, the more fat we store, along with running the risk of becoming insulin resistant and developing Type 2 Diabetes. Fat isn’t to blame for the “obesity epidemic.”
● Sources to add to diet: olive oil, nuts, seeds, fish, avocados, grass fed butter, full-fat minimally processed cheese, grass fed beef, coconut oil, peanut/almond butter.
● Trans Fats: aka “partially hydrogenated oils” can increase your risk of heart disease.
After eating a low-fat and vegetarian diet for two years, I couldn’t figure out why I always felt hungry and was shocked by my cholesterol and glucose levels, especially being a dietitian. I listened to my body and started to incorporate more protein and fat into my diet, which made me feel much better and improved my cholesterol and feelings of being hungry all of the time!
-Brooke Miller, R