Thursday, December 1, 2016

It's The Sugar, Stupid: Some High Fat Foods That Are Actually Good For You

It's The Sugar, Stupid: Some High-Fat Foods That Are Actually Good For You
By Kurtis Bright

A Poorly Researched and Biased Study From Fifty Years Ago Continues to Sway the Debate Over Fat Versus Sugar



Almost 50 years ago, the sugar industry managed to forever tar fat with the overbroad brush of “bad for you” in a remarkable coup, powered by one industry-funded study. The authors, relying on dubious data from which they drew doubtful conclusions, were able to pin all manner of health threats on one of the main components of a healthy diet--while conveniently giving sugar a pass.



But as is becoming more apparent every day, we have much more to worry about with sugars, despite the effects of the lies of a corrupt industry paying off corrupt scientists continuing to linger today. 

But it's time we welcome back healthy fats from their long exile. To that end, here are a few foods that are high in fat but which are also very good for you. 



  • Avocados - Although these ugly green guys contain an absurd amount of fat, they are still quite good for you. This apparent contradiction was too much for the geniuses behind recent changes in the U.S. FDA dietary guidelines to grasp: following the guidelines would put a Pop Tart in a healthier category than an avocado due mainly to the fat content of the fruit. Never mind the sugar in Pop Tarts. At any rate, avocados are nearly 77 percent fat by calories, higher in fat even than most animal-based foods. But it is largely a monounsaturated fat called oleic acid, the same fatty acid found in olive oil, which comes with great health effects. They also contain a high level of potassium, and one study showed that despite the fat content, people who ate avocados tend to weigh less and have less belly fat than those who eschew them.
  • Cheese - Similarly, cheese is indeed high in fat, but largely the kind of fatty acids associated with reducing your risk of contracting type 2 diabetes. It also a great source of protein which comes with a relatively low caloric trade-off. Plus it is a great source of vitamin B12, calcium, phosphorus and other nutrients. Just because it contains fat don't shy away from cheese.
  • Dark chocolate - This underappreciated dessert has nearly 65 percent of its calories coming from fat, but that's not all. It also contains 11 percent fiber, and over 50 percent of the U.S. RDA for iron, magnesium, copper and manganese. Dark chocolate also contains tons of antioxidants, even more than blueberries, and studies have shown that people who regularly eat dark chocolate can end up with a lower blood pressure and healthier LDL cholesterol count.
  • Eggs - It’s high time we put aside another myth dating from the 1950s and 1960s, back when eggs were considered a bad guy, a beshelled demon eager to clog your arteries and send your cholesterol skyrocketing. More recent studies show that the cholesterol in eggs generally doesn’t have an effect on the cholesterol in the blood, at least not in most people. And despite being high in fat, eggs nonetheless have demonstrated that they are potent weight loss allies. They contain tons of protein at a relatively low calorie count, allowing you to use them to replace high glycemic refined grains and consume fewer calories while still feeling full.

Overall, it’s high time the U.S. FDA step up and make it crystal clear that sugars are much bigger culprits in the poor health of so many Americans that fat ever could be. Educate yourself on good fats versus bad fats, and eat a generous amount of the former while limiting yourself to a sensible amount of the latter.

And for God’s sake, cut down on refined sugars!
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