We know the Government's job is to advise us for our own safety when it comes to food, but a new report has come to light which claims what we have been told about saturated fat this whole time could be false.
Saturated fat has been seen as the metaphorical devil of the dieting world for decades. We've frequently been told to cut down on it by limiting our intake of butter, oils and red meats. Even ultra fashionable coconut oil has been in the firing line recently for containing too much!
However The National Obesity Forum and the Public Health Collaboration have said that eating a diet low in fat could actually be contributing to the nation's obesity crisis. They make the point of saying “Eating fat does not make you fat” and that the consumption of saturated fat alone doesn't actually cause heart disease. Instead they are calling on the government to overhaul the current guidelines. They point out that:
“The most natural and nutritious foods available – meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, nuts, seeds, olive oil, avocados – all contain saturated fat. The continued demonisation of omnipresent natural fat drives people away from highly nourishing, wholesome and health-promoting foods.”
This is where that overused but important word "moderation" comes into play once again. We completely agree that a diet high in healthy fats like avocado, nuts and fish will fill your body with
important nutrients and fuel it for your workouts. But as with all food groups, eating too much of it is not a good idea either. Moderation is the key to a healthy balanced diet and getting all the vitamins you need.
So treat yourself to cheese on crackers now and again in the knowledge that saturated fat probably isn't harming your body like we may have first been led to believe (however it's probably not best to go drowning your pasta in melted cheese every night!) If you're still a bit confused about which fats are good for you and which ones you should avoid, check out our blog by Personal Trainer and guest blogger Karen Crudgington.
The takeaway? Ditch the low fat options and fuel your body with a healthy balanced diet of carbohydrates, healthy fats and protein. It might sound cheesy (mmm cheese) but listen to your body, you can always feel what is and isn't right when it comes to food and exercise.
