Obesity and Fat Control Myths
– Are your ideas of obesity and fat control based on a myth? –
For years we heard that a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet would keep us healthy and help us lose weight. And many of us jumped on the bandwagon. Our idea of obesity and fat control was to eliminate fat and high-cholesterol foods from our diets.
Unfortunately, we were doing it all wrong.
— The Truth about Obesity and Fat Control —
Instead of eliminating fat completely, we should have been eliminating the "bad fats," the fats associated with obesity and heart disease and eating the "good fats," the fats that actually help improve blood cholesterol levels.
— Bad Fats —
There are two bad fats that you should limit your intake of – saturated and trans fats.
Saturated Fats
Saturated fats are mostly animal fats. You find them in meat, whole-milk products, poultry skin, and egg yolks. Coconut oil also has a high amount of saturated fat. Saturated fats raise the levels of both the good and bad blood cholesterol.
Trans Fats
Trans fats are produced through hydrogenation-heating oils in the presence of oxygen. Many products contain trans fats because the fats help them maintain a longer shelf life.
Margarine also contains a high amount of trans fats. Trans fats are especially dangerous because they lower the good cholesterol, HDL and raise the bad cholesterol, LDL.
Unfortunately, most product labels do not tell you how much trans fat it contains, but you can find out if it’s in a product by looking at the ingredient list. If the ingredients contain hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated oils, then it contains trans fats.
The good news is in 2006, manufacturers will be required to list the amount of trans fat in their products on the nutrition labels, so it will be easier for you to find.
— Good Fats —
Some fats actually improve cholesterol levels.
Polyunsaturated Fats
Polyunsaturated fats are found in sunflower, corn, and soybean oils. These oils contain Omega-6, an essential fatty acid. However, most people get enough Omega-6 in their diet and instead need more Omega-3. Omega-3 is a fatty acid found in fish and walnuts.
Monounsaturated Fats
Monounsaturated fats are found in canola, peanut, and olive oils. Both types of unsaturated fats decrease the bad cholesterol, LDL and increase the good cholesterol, HDL.
— Yippee, break out the peanut butter! Whoah, not so fast —
“Hey, maybe this obesity and fat control business is not so hard after all! If unsaturated fats improve my blood cholesterol levels, this means I can splurge on all of the olive oil, peanut butter and nuts I want, right?” Wrong!
Sorry to be a party pooper, but for proper obesity and fat control, you do need to limit even your intake of good fats.
That’s because fat of any kind does contain calories. Too many calories means you’ll gain weight.
So, in a nutshell, the answer to effective obesity and fat control is this?
Eat the good fats in moderation, and stay away from the bad saturated and trans fats.
For more about obesity and fat control, including many useful links, visit obesitycures.com/obesity-and-fat-control.html
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Alan Cooper is a journalist with 20 year’s experience and the publisher of ObesityCures.com, a site with the ambitious aim of being a “one-stop-shop” for impartial information on obesity and weight loss solutions – including fad diets, prescription weightloss pills and natural weightloss aids.
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America Health Watch
America loves fast food. Last year, consumers spent billions of dollars on the hamburger industry alone. Corporate giants such as McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Burger King all boast of multi-million dollar incomes each year.
Why?
Because their foods are delicious! Americans everywhere love the rich flavors of gigantic Big Macs and king-sized Whoppers. Our mouths water and noses flare at the enticing smell of a Bacon Double Burger Classic- a popular burger layered with melted cheese and tender bacon strips. Add a large batch of hot, sizzling French fries, and you have a combo meal worth billions of dollars to the American public. Indeed many of us love fast food!
But what has our country gained from its huge appetite for greasy foods? I can think of three problems-three problems that have stood coldly on America’s doorstep. These problems have destroyed the lives of millions of Americans over the past decade. They are: 1) Obesity 2) High Blood Pressure and 3) Heart Disease. Strangely enough, American consumers will continue to satisfy their appetites for greasy chicken dinners, colossal burgers, salty French fries, and dozens of other fast foods. But the biggest threat is that these three health problems, if left unchecked, will bring more pain, more suffering, and higher death rates to the American population.
Obesity: Numerous studies have pointed to what causes obesity (condition of being overweight). Two major causes are: 1) over eating of high-fat foods, and 2) lack of exercise. With our country’s yearly spending on fast food, it is no surprise that more than 60% of Americans aged 20 years and older are overweight. Obesity has also been found to cause diabetes. Though the condition has been proven a hereditary disease, physicians agree that diabetes is often triggered by the patient’s choice of foods. In 2002, treatment of diabetes totaled 23.2 billion U.S. dollars. But being overweight can cause more health problems than just diabetes. Obesity is also a leading cause of high blood pressure.
High Blood Pressure (HBP): Over the years, tests have shown that most diets high in salt lead to cases of high blood pressure. At the turn of this century,this condition was listed as the main cause of death in 227,000 cases. Extra salt on our fries may seem tempting. But a less tempting thought is that high blood pressure contributes to 75% of all strokes and heart attacks. The danger with this condition is that many Americans are unaware that they have high blood pressure. Still, HBP is lethally harmful to anyone who has it. If left untreated, the condition may lead to heart disease.
Heart Disease: This disease is currently the single leading cause of death in America. Years of study have shown obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol levels as causes of heart disease. Freshly fried chicken, large hamburger meals, hot bags of salted fries-all of these menu items pull at the wallets and purses of American consumers. But what does it cost to satisfy our appetites again and again? In 2001 heart disease was responsible for over half a million deaths in the U.S. It accounted for over 17.6 billion U.S. dollars-in medical treatment- in 2002.
Is the cost really worth it?
As a nation, we are just now beginning to realize the long term effects of an unbalanced diet. This is, however, a good step towards improving America’s overall health condition. We can not afford to lose millions of lives from diseases that can be controlled, or even avoided.
There are many alternatives to eating fast food. For example, delicious fruits such as apples, oranges, pears, grapes, and grapefruits, are all low in cholesterol and high in nutritional value. They also help the body fight cancer. Meats such as grilled shrimp, baked chicken, and broiled fish are low in cholesterol but high in proteins and other useful nutrients for the body. Finally, garden peas, collard greens, lima beans, and baked potatoes, are all excellent substitutes for a greasy bag of salted fries. You can find additional information on foods and food servings from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The information can be found at your local library, bookstores, online, and a variety of other sources.
Indeed America has many opportunities to grow as a healthy nation. It is time to address the health problems that lie at our country’s doorstep. It is our time-America’s time to eat smart.
About The Author
Daryl Dudley is the author of “America Health Watch.” He is currently a senior English major at Savannah State University. For FREE information on healthier eating and exercise visit Daryl at: .webspawner.com/users/ddudley
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