WHICH FOODS MAKE YOU FAT??
In the recent past it was thought that eating fats like dairy, nuts and oils made you gain weight. This is why there are so many low fat products available to buy.
Recently the attention has turned to carbohydrates and it is implied that things like pasta, bread and sugar are to blame.
Even protein comes in for some bad press from time to time.
It's all very confusing. So which is it???
The answer is all of them and none of them.
Again, very confusing. So what do I mean?
It is not the specific food types that are the problem, but the process of over eating that is responsible.
Eating more calories than our bodies need causes the excess to be stored as fat. It is a natural process that we have evolved to do. Fat gain is a survival mechanism!!
In our ancestors hunter gatherer days, there were times when food was abundant and times when it wasn't. So, when times were good, we were able to over eat and build up our fat stores to sustain us through the periods when food was scarce.
Fat is fuel for our bodies.
Fast forward a few thousand years and our food is now not only plentiful but also very calorie dense and we no longer live a hunter gatherer life style, (a trip around Tesco's doesn't really count). Which makes overeating and fat storing a very easy thing to do.
The truth of it is; all of the food we eat has the potential to make us store fat but no one food type is specifically to blame.
If you completely remove fat or carbs from your diet, it is still possible to gain weight AND you will be losing out on vital nutrients.
The solution to the problem is to try to eat foods that are lower in calories, like meat, fish and vegetables. Eat energy dense foods like pasta and sweet potatoes if you have been physically active and reduce but not eliminate high calorie fat items like dairy, nuts and oils.
Learning appropriate portion control is essential. This way you get all health benefits associated with the different food groups without putting yourself into fat storage mode.
If you would like to learn more about becoming a clever caveman then give me a shout.
