Why buying low fat foods makes you fat, foggy and forgetful

First our doctors told us to cut the salt from our diet.

That one-size-fits-all advice led to an increased risk of heart failure and diabetes.

Then they told us to cut back on eggs and meat because the cholesterol in them was bad for our health.

That advice was proven wrong too. Cholesterol is brain fuel.

These same doctors have said to watch our fat intake, buy low-fat or no-fat dairy products, and stay away from foods that add saturated fat to our diets.

Guess what?  Wrong again…

In fact, if you’ve been following this advice and including fat-free foods in your daily diet, there’s a good chance that not only have you not seen an improvement in your waistline, but chances are high you’ve been left feeling fat, foggy and forgetful.

Why you need fat in your diet

The fact of the matter is: The fats you eat give your body the energy it needs to work properly.

They help you absorb and utilize your vitamins, control inflammation and blood clotting and keep your brain functioning optimally.

They’re also responsible for forming the sheath that coats your nerves and spinal cord — protecting them and ensuring that your nervous system relays messages fast and efficiently.

Without enough fats in your diet, your metabolism slows down leaving you to pack on the pounds.

And, at the same time, this lack of fats puts the brakes on your brain and nervous system, causing that awful brain fog, forgetfulness and even depression.

What fats should you eat?

That being said, there are good and bad forms of fat.

Good fats to choose from are the ones that are unsaturated.

These include fats found in olive oil and olives, canola oil, almonds, cashews, peanuts, peanut butter, sesame seeds and avocados. The Mediterranean diet is rich in healthy fats.

These monounsaturated fats raise your good HDL cholesterol, lower your LDL cholesterol, and protect against the buildup of plaque in your arteries.  They can even help you burn off that belly fat.

Other good fats are ones that contain omega-3 fatty acids like those in fish like salmon, mackerel or herring.  They can even be found in flaxseed or walnuts. You can also get them in high quality fish oil supplements.

These omega-3 rich fats boost your brain function, blow away inflammation and just plain make you feel better.

Omega-6s are also an important essential fatty acid, but striking a healthy omega-3 and omega-6 ratio is paramount to good overall health. The standard American Diets is heavy on omega-6s so it’s highly likely you may be getting too much in your diet already. A diet too heavy in omega-6s sets you up for hypertension, stroke and heart attack. Remember to strive for more omega-3s.

Even saturated fats can be good for your health in moderation.  Foods like coconut oil not only provide fuel for your brain; they also make you feel full longer so that you eat less and lose weight.

Avoid these fats at all costs

Now the fats to avoid are trans-fats.

You’ll find them in processed foods and they are good for nothing but harming your health. According to a colleague, scientific research shows that trans-fats can raise your LDL, or “bad” cholesterol levels and clog your arteries with plaque.

This is because the heat processes used during hydrogenation damage the chemical structure of healthy fat. The result is an unnatural type of fat your body doesn’t know how to process. What’s worse, the molecules may even detach during digestion and end up becoming dangerous, cell-damaging free radicals.

To be safe, steer clear. But it’s not as easy as it sounds because trans-fats are everywhere in all processed foods. You will find them in margarine, butter substitutes, mayonnaise, crackers and cookies, just to name a few. All foods with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils contain trans-fats — even if these fats are not listed on the label. That’s because the government allows products with less than 0.5 percent trans fat per serving to use a “trans-fat-free” label.

Eat fat to get healthy

America is facing an epidemic of people who are overweight, unhealthy and suffering from early signs of dementia like brain fog and forgetfulness.

It’s time to take back your health and give your body the good fat it needs to function optimally, slim down and keep your brain healthy at any age.

Sources:

1. http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/899663

2. http://www.metabolismjournal.com/article/S0026-0495%2810%2900329-X/abstract

3. https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/19/nutrition-panel-calls-for-less-sugar-and-eases-cholesterol-and-fat-restrictions/?_r=0

4. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000104.htm