Fat- The misunderstood macro-nutrient

 

Hi guys

This post isn’t about fat loss. It is about Fat. The arch-enemy of good health. But is it really?

We have been wary of dietary fat for four decades now. So much so that we have re-invented the meaning of food around it. Flavor, texture, colors, taste, nutrition are not half as important as the word ‘fat-free’. We have good fats, bad fats, heart-friendly oils, virgin oils , the list is long and exhausting. We have ardently believed that staying away from dietary fats is all that is needed to keep the heart healthy and our weight in check.

However, our bodies have a radically different perception of this macro-nutrient. Even an extremely lean individual has about 20-30 billion fat cells in the body. The subcutaneous fat (under the skin) are our body’s best insulators and visceral fat(around the organs) cushions it against jerks or some serious physical injury. Vitamin A, D and K are fat soluble vitamins, without them at least 200 of the body’s enzymatic reactions would slow down. Even the human heart uses fat to function normally. Carbohydrates are only used when it is stroking and there is a scarcity of oxygen reaching it.

So why did we stop eating fat?

it is a long and a scary story. The one that reeks of misinterpretation and manipulation. Let me leave the details for now. In short, this is what happened. In the 1970’s, the U.S. Senate came up with their dietary guidelines. Based on the 7 countries study conducted by their scientist Ancel Key they formulated that the low-fat – high carb diet. According to them it was the best way to manage cardio-vascular diseases. The USDA lapped up this guideline and made a fortune out of selling grains. Even the sugar industry boomed while fat got the boots.

It is interesting to note none of the above mentioned guidelines wasn’t  meant for the Asian population. As a matter of fact Asia didn’t even feature  in the 7 countries experiment. We had very different but equally difficult challenges at that time.. We were battling with a faltering economy and packed foods were still treats and not regular feature of our meals. So obesity was rare and in all fairness complications due to diabetes probably went untreated. Our longevity limits  were much lower but so were the mortality rates due to Cardio vascular diseases.

The times changed. The new millennium saw India shining once again.With the economic boom there was an obvious affluence in our lives. In more ways than one, we started emulating the west. Unfortunately that also meant facing similar health challenges. According to the latest UN reports. India is second in the list of the top 10 obese countries, right after China. US comes third. As per the present scenario India will be the diabetic capital of the world in the next few years. One in every third death in India is due to cardio-vascular disease. So it is time to swallow the bitter pill and face the truth.

The rising rates of obesity and diabetes prove that the saturated fat hypothesis wasn’t the cure-all that we had thought it to be. We gave up fat and hunger went up. And with it the consumption of carbs.. The story probably would have been different if the so-called ‘healthy’ foods were real ones. Instead we had some strange combinations of sugars and chemicals.They were not only low in calories but also in nutrition and satiety levels. The results were as expected. Overconsumption of sugars and an obvious increase in revenue for those selling it.

So what is the solution?

It is simple, yet not easy. For a start we have to restore the macro-nutrient balance to our meals.  Choose ‘Quality eating’ over market driven ‘healthy’ eating. Subsequently we need to redefine the meaning of exercise. Exercise can t be a series of mindless movements that we perform to achieve the proverbial good health. It has to be an extension of our personalities. Last but not the least we have to let go of the fads and create a lifestyle model that suits us.

Cheers