Low-fat diets caught on for a while as the best diet out there, but like many
others before it, it has since been forgotten and now belongs in the “just
okay” list. It’s not bad, but not extraordinary either. However with mounting
evidence that supports the consumption of dietary fat being better for weight
loss, it’s probably going to die down for good.
In one study published by the American Medical
Association, they found that healthy fats such as those in fish, olive oil and
nuts, can protect us from diseases. Furthermore, fat-free or low-fat options
may be even worse for us health-wise than full-fat options. This is a complete
180 from what scientists were preaching just a few years ago.
Another point they made in this study was that
carbohydrates are to blame for the rising numbers of obesity, not dietary fat.
This prompted the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee to revise their current
guidelines of 35% of our total daily calories from dietary fats to no
restriction at all.
Is this a wise decision?
Ketogenic dieters are nodding their heads in
affirmation, but not everyone is welcoming this change with open arms. Some
experts are wary that this may not be the best choice in light of the current
situation in the U.S. where the vast majority are either obese or overweight.
Fat is calorie-dense
Removing the guidelines and basically telling
everyone to eat as much fat as they want could spell disaster in many cases. Even
if one were to only consume good fats, calories still matter. If you were to
consume 10,000 calories of good fats but only require 2,300 calories per day to
maintain your weight, you would gain a lot of weight by eating 10,000 calories
a day regardless of the food source.
Further education needed
Before making such a broad recommendation, more
education is needed to inform people of dietary fat intake. It’s not as simple
as telling them that they can eat as much fat as they want as long as it’s
“good” fat. There should be more information available so that people can
adjust their fat consumption based on their recommended caloric intake.