Nutrition Information |
|
||
Fattening Foods: Not So Fattening After All?
Have you seen those "fat free" foods in supermarkets? Have you possibly delighted in them guiltlessly thinking that they are healthy for you? There's a good chance that you have because we usually follow what the media and the world around us says. In this day in age, along with other health fads, many people believe that fat makes you fat. This is true, to an extent. What we fail to notice is that not all fats are bad. If I had to guess, since the words fat (as in what's in food) and fat (as in excess body tissue, or adipose tissue) are the same word it makes sense that when you eat fat, you get fat. However, this is not the case. Now don't get me wrong, there is a difference between good fats and bad fats. If you eat the bad fats they can make you fat, and also contribute to several diseases. Your body uses the good fats in several ways to repair itself, grow, and work more efficiently. Some of the benefits of eating these healthy fats include: -Healthy fats are essential for absorption of fat-soluble vitamins -Healthy fats have an anti-inflammatory effect - they can help relieve many of the pains that we experience around our joints -Healthy fats are essential for lubrication of our joints -Healthy fats improve insulin sensitivity. Insulin is the hormone our bodies use to transport nutrients throughout the body. Insulin sensitivity is essentially a measure of how efficient our bodies use insulin. Insulin resistance is the opposite of insulin sensitivity and is one of the early stages of diabetes. -Healthy fats can increase the strength of our immune system -Healthy fats play a major role in the production of energy from foods we consume -Healthy fats are required for our body to efficiently use oxygen -Healthy fats can improve skin texture -Healthy fats can increase your metabolism -Healthy fats can help you burn more fat (the kind that is attached to your body) Dr. Udo Erasmus, author of one of the most popular books ever about fat, "Fats the Heal, Fats that Kill", writes in his book, "At levels above 12 to 15% of total calories, healthy fats increase the rate of metabolic reactions in the body and the increased rate burns off more fat into carbon dioxide, water, and energy (heat), resulting in fat burn off and loss of excess weight." In this article we will discuss what exactly these healthy fats are, where to get them from, easy ways to add them into your diet, and the optimal amount of fat that you should consume. I will also explain why the belief that "fats make you fat" has developed because fats can make you fat if you eat too many of them. The Bad Fats -Trans Fats Trans fats are made by bubbling hydrogen through unsaturated fats in order to make them solid and have a longer shelf life. In addition, it was once thought that trans fats were a healthier alternative to saturated fats. However, this is far from the truth. In a statement made by the Bush Administration they warn us to keep consumption of trans fats "as low as possible" and also state that "the food industry has an important role in decreasing trans fatty acid content of the food supply." Some of the top Harvard nutritionists state that replacing trans fats with a safer alternative would "prevent approximately 30,000 premature coronary deaths per year." In fact, Denmark has already taken an initiative and banned the sale of trans fats to not allow more than 2% of the food to contain trans fats. Now that you know that trans fats are bad, how do you avoid them? In America, the FDA has required food manufacturers to list the number of trans fats a food contains. This has helped consumers make wiser choices, but according to FDA regulation, "if the serving contains less than 0.5 gram, the content, when declared, shall be expressed as zero." This rule allows food manufacturers to list very small serving sizes and as long as the amount of trans fats is less than 0.5 grams in that particular serving, they are allowed to list it as 0 grams of trans fats. The ultimate way to tell if a food contains trans fats or not is if the ingredients list contains the phrase "partially hydrogenated" or "shortening". Trans fats are mostly contained in foods such as candies, cookies, snack foods, chips, shortenings, and many restaurants. -Saturated Fats Saturated fats are widely recognized as being bad fats. You probably know or believe this to be true, and it is to an extent. There is actually quite a controversy between many dieticians and nutritionists about saturated fats concerning the optimal amount that we should consume or if we should even consume them at all. The reason for most of the bad rap that saturated fat has been given is due to the fact that the liver uses it to produce cholesterol. It has been noted to raise the good (HDL) cholesterol as well as the bad (LDL) cholesterol. The FDA's general guideline for saturated fat is to limit it to about 10% of total calories per day. This would convert to about 20 grams per day for diet containing about 2,000 calories per day. Saturated fat is mostly found in foods that are derived from animals. The exception would be coconut, palm, and palm kernel oils, which also contain saturated fat. The Healthy Fats -Monounsaturated Fats Monounsaturated fat is believed to help lower the bad cholesterol (LDL) and raise the good (HDL) cholesterol. As listed in the beginning of this article, they also provide many healthy benefits. Monounsaturated fats are mostly found in vegetable oils. Some examples would include olive oil and canola oil. -Polyunsaturated Fats Polyunsaturated fats contain the family of fats known as Essential Fatty Acids, or EFAs. As you can tell by their name, these fats are essential to the body because the body cannot produce them on its own. The main EFAs are the Omega-3 fatty acid and the Omega-6 fatty acid. They provide many of the benefits listed at the beginning of this article as well. Good sources of these fatty acids are fish, mustard seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnut oil, leafy green vegetables, sunflower, soybean, avocados, and perhaps one of the best sources is flax seed (make sure to grind them or buy them in an oil form - the stomach has trouble digesting the whole seeds). -Why Fat Supposedly Makes You Fat (Note: You can calculate your TDEE at http://www.weight-loss-resources.com/calculators/dailycalories.html) There is a simple law known as the Law of Thermodynamics. In addition to this, our bodies burn a certain number of calories per day (this number changes everyday and is influenced by many factors). This burning of calories everyday is known as total daily energy expenditure or TDEE. If the amount of calories we eat in a certain day is below our TDEE, we lose weight (this weight is not necessarily fat all the time). If the amount of calories we eat is equal to our TDEE, our weight stays the same. If the amount of calories we eat is greater than our TDEE, we gain weight (as stated before, this weight is not necessarily fat all the time - it could be muscle). Many people skip this important fundamental and look at the type of food they are eating or several other factors before they investigate how many calories they are eating per day and how to adjust their amount of calories consumed to achieve their goals. Fat holds 9 calories per gram, while carbohydrates and protein hold only 4 calories per gram. This means that eating fat (any type of fat, even the good kind) will result in a greater number of calories consumed. Therefore, it's more likely that you're going to go over your TDEE and gain weight, especially if much of your diet comes from fattening foods. In addition to this, fat is very similar chemically to the fat that your body stores. This makes it easy for your body to store consumed fat as fat (adipose tissue), but you must take into consideration that storing fat (consumed) as fat (adipose tissue) is not the only thing your body does with fat (consumed). -The Optimal Levels of Fat You're going to want to eat part of your calories from fat to get their many benefits, but not go too high. Like anything else in the world of nutrition and fitness, there are many opinions on what the optimal levels of fat in the diet are. For instance, advocates of low-fat diets opt for absolutely no fat and believe that fat is what makes us fat. However, there is a flaw in this belief as they are also cutting out the good, numerously beneficial fats. Then there are high fat diets, such as diets suggesting low carbs (they usually say you can eat all the fat and protein you want). Although, it is generally accepted to consume between 15% - 25% of your calories from fat while severely limiting the amount of trans fats and watching the amount of saturated fat that you consume. -Some Easy Ways to Add Fat Into Your Diet Now you may be wondering how you're going to add some of these healthy fats into your diet. There are actually some really easy ways to do so. If you eat salads, you can add about a tablespoon of olive or canola oil. In my experience, you usually cannot even taste these added oils. If you buy some flax seed and grind it, you can add it to almost any food. Once again, these flax seeds are mostly tasteless. Really, adding these healthy nutrients into your diet isn't that big of a burden. Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice from a physician or your health care provider. Nathan Latvaitis: An avid fitness researcher - helping other people realize their goals through knowledge. Nathan runs a fitness website at http://www.weight-loss-resources.com where you can find more weight loss tips, articles, calculators, reviews, a message board, and more.
Look For
MORE RESOURCES: Short-term rental owners talk legal battles, regulations at state conference FOX 17 West Michigan News Have Airbnb Guest Favorites Overshadowed the Superhost Program? Skift Travel News B.C. municipalities join provincial plan to clamp down on AirBnB rentals The Globe and Mail $822 night rental in Central MA town named a Vrbo Vacation Rental of the Year. Check it out Worcester Telegram Space age comes to lavish Kissimmee vacation rental home Osceola News-Gazette Don't Take Away Homeowner's Rights Nantucket Current Hamilton County revising resolution prohibiting short term rentals in residential zones Chattanooga Times Free Press Vacation rental bill is headed to uncertainty Honolulu Star-Advertiser Vacation Rentals: How to Make Your Stay Sustainable The New York Times UPDATE: Short-Term Vacation Rental rules up for potential changes resolution pulled from Hamilton County ... Local 3 News Florida vacation rental murder highlights danger of 'massive, unregulated' industry: lawyer Fox News Mountain AirBNB | | themountaineer.com The Mountaineer Wandery Capital Disrupting Group & Family Vacations with their Large Luxury Short-Term Rentals USA TODAY Announcing the First Round of Speakers for Skift Short-Term Rental Summit Announcing the First Round of Speakers ... Skift Travel News FlipKey: What You Need to Know NerdWallet Local leaders have a short-term rental conundrum St Pete Catalyst Study: Scottsdale most lucrative city in country to host an Airbnb | Scottsdale Independent Daily Independent Green Won't Issue Vacation Rental Moratorium For Maui Honolulu Civil Beat As vacation rentals eat up housing in South Florida, controlling them might become harder | Opinion Miami Herald Hawaii looks to phase-out short term rentals. What would that mean? Los Angeles Times A Statewide Ban On Vacation Rentals? The Idea Is Gaining Steam After The Maui Fires Honolulu Civil Beat 5 Desired Features for Vacation Rentals Real Estate These Are the Top 10 Vacation Rentals on Vrbo for 2024 Travel + Leisure This Is When You Should Book Your Summer Holiday Vacation Rental, According to Vrbo Travel + Leisure Big Island Lawmakers Attempt To Rein In Short-Term Vacation Rentals Honolulu Civil Beat Senator wants uniform standards for short-term vacation rentals, but it seems to be a tough sell • Florida Phoenix Florida Phoenix County Commission Delays Vote On STVRs In Residential Districts The Chattanoogan Ask Amy: Family friends poach vacation rental Chicago Tribune 4 Perfect Vrbo Vacation Rentals at the Delaware Beaches Delaware Today Vacation rentals bill blasted: Commissioners get an earful over proposed TAR regulations Hawaii Tribune-Herald This year's version of a short-term vacation rental bill now goes to the full House • Florida Phoenix Florida Phoenix Florida's Vacation Rental Bill awaits Gov. Ron DeSantis' review. St. Augustine Record Deadly Fort Lauderdale shooting spotlights concerns over vacation rentals bill - NBC 6 South Florida Deadly Fort Lauderdale shooting spotlights concerns over vacation rentals bill NBC 6 South Florida Future of vacation rentals bill uncertain despite passage WPTV News Channel 5 West Palm State lawmakers advancing short-term vacation rental measure News 13 Orlando Green Bay area vacation rentals ask $10,000 a night for 2025 NFL draft Green Bay Press Gazette The latest version of a vacation rental bill gets its first hearing in Tallahassee • Florida Phoenix Florida Phoenix Lawmakers passed bill to shift control of vacation rentals to state Tallahassee Democrat Taking On the Short-Term Rental Problem in Santa Barbara Santa Barbara Independent 10 Best Vacation Rentals in Dallas of 2024 TravelAwaits Lawmakers pass state regulations on short-term vacation rentals; how will it play out? Florida Politics Airbnb CEO's 10-Year Pay Package Could Turn Into $1 Billion or More Skift Travel News Bill Allowing Hawaiʻi Counties To Phase Out Vacation Rentals Gets Senate Hearing Big Island Video News This affluent Bay Area county may put hard limit on vacation rentals for first time San Francisco Chronicle 100+ Best Summer Vacation Rentals to Book Now Condé Nast Traveler Marin County passes new rules limiting vacation rentals San Francisco Chronicle Bills could force short-term vacation rentals into long-term housing for Maui residents KITV Honolulu Short-term vacation rental bill passes in FL Senate, but regulations on the issue remain unsettled • Florida Phoenix Florida Phoenix Vrbo's Vacation Rentals of the Year 2024: A Full List of the Properties Good Housekeeping Bill would regulate short-term vacation rentals, give state more power WPTV News Channel 5 West Palm Hawaii governor wants 3000 vacation rentals converted to housing for Maui wildfire survivors The Associated Press Some Florida mayors are getting testy about a contentious vacation rental bill • Florida Phoenix Florida Phoenix Pledging big bucks, Green seeks vacation rentals for evacuees — and broader housing relief Hawaii News Now Going on vacation? Florida Senate takes up legislation impacting short-term vacation rentals FirstCoastNews.com WTLV-WJXX Eastham Raises Fee for Vacation Rentals to $350 The Provincetown Independent |
RELATED ARTICLES
Fish Oil The research in support of dietary omega-3 fatty acids (such as in fish oils) continues to flood the scientific literature. This is perfectly predictable given our genetic roots. The Virtues of Water Did you know that much of our dry skin comes from not drinking enough water? If your skin is dehydrated, then what is drying up on the inside? The human body is over 70% water. Water is not only important for hydration, it is the primary transporter of nutrients throughout the body and is essential for proper bodily functions including elimination. MSG: If Its Safe, Why Do They Disguise It On Labels? Monosodium glutamate, commonly known as MSG, was thought of as a "miracle food enhancer" when it was first introduced to the public over five decades ago.More than just a seasoning like salt and pepper, MSG could actually enhance the flavors of foods, making processed meats and frozen dinners taste fresher and smell better, salad dressings more tasty, and canned foods less tinny. Unhealthy Foods: Five Sneaky Foods Revealed With the array of different diets and diet foods available to help with weight loss and health, it's sometimes hard to figure out what's healthy and what's not. Of course, part of the problem is that people have different health needs: for example, while fruit juice is often a good source of vitamins and other nutrients, some people with diabetes may find that some fruit juices have more sugar than they can tolerate. Toxic Metal Removal Through Restored Protein Anabolism. Focus: Mercury Toxicity Toxic metals exist in our environment as pollutants in our air, soil, water and consequently our food supply. We face the added challenge of the toxic metals in our fillings (silver/mercury amalgams) and the thimerosol mercury compound that has been used as preservative for over half a century in our vaccinations. What is A Balanced Diet For Losing Weight and Good Health? The total calories that you should be consuming depend on whether you are a women or a man. It depends on your body structure and your activity level. Discover Which Fruit and Vegetables Help Relieve Arthritic Pain If you or someone you know suffers from rheumatoid arthritis, you know how painful and debilitating it can be. If you haven't walked a mile in those shoes, you can't imagine how frustrating it can be. Nuts To You... Just One Way to a Healthy Heart Nuts are readily available and provide a highly nutritious food. In addition to protein, carbohydrate, and fat, nuts contain many other important nutrients: fiber, vitamin E, folic acid, potassium, and magnesium. Gift Basket Idea for Senior Citizens Evidence for the importance of fruit and vegetable intake to health and quality of life with aging is widely recognized. Consuming fruits and vegetables can reduce an individual's risk of cardiovascular disease and many cancers. 4 Important Facts You Should Know About Whey Protein Are you concerned about taking care of your body before and after strenuous activities or workouts? Do you try to avoid supplements that contain additives and possible side effects?If you are interested in better health and improved physical fitness you have surely heard that bodybuilders and other athletes are turning to a simple, natural supplement called whey protein.WHY DO ATHLETES USE WHEY PROTEIN?Protein levels are depleted through exercise. Understanding Glyconutrients You say you don't know what glyconutrients are? You are not alone. Perhaps you have heard a bit about glyconutrients but you don't really know what they are or how they could benefit you. Getting More Minerals From Your Fruits and Vegetables Before the thirties, people knew the importance of mineral. Their soil was rich in minerals and they ate plenty of vegetable grown in these soils. The Skinny on Salt Salt was used long before recorded history began. One of the earliest known writings, the Chinese Png-tzao-kan-mu, mentioned more than 40 types of salt. Turning an Addictive Snack into a Complete Meal The proliferation of fast food restaurants, convenience stores, and vending machines in virtually every corner of residential America has created a serious nutritional problem. "Snacking" - a harmless-sounding verb that deceptively implies something unobjectionable - has reached addictive proportions[i]. Calcium Absorption and Information Ionized minerals, colloidal minerals, chelated minerals . . The Minefield Of Eating Out On A Gluten Free Diet Eating out when you are on a restricted diet always has the potential for difficulty. Only yesterday I was reminded of this when we went out for a late Sunday meal. Its Not That Bad - The Biggest Lie We Tell Ourselves Some people say to themselves, junk food is not that bad. If you want to believe this than good luck. Protein, Carbs and Fat: Learn How to Diet with Macronutrients Weight loss plans are almost always trying to get you to get rid of some food that you love. However, the three macronutrients (Protein, Carbohydrates and Fat) as well as the unofficial fourth, water, are all necessary for good health. Protein Wont Make You Fat: Myth #1 How many magazines have you read where they tell you to take in X grams of protein? How many times have you see .75g of protein per lb of bodyweight or 1g maybe 1. Manganese 101 Manganese is a metallic mineral that was discovered by a 17th century German chemist named Johann Glauber, though it was not isolated in a pure form until 1774, by Johan Gahn. It was Gahn's associate, a Swedish chemist, Carl Scheele, who first determined that manganese was an element. |
home | site map |
© 2005 |