Cut the sugar, eat MORE fat and be leaner and healthier.
The healthiest and probably the easiest way to lose weight and help combat the obesity crisis is to adopt a diet that is “low in sugary carbohydrates and high in healthy fats.”
As mentioned in Part 1, this way of eating goes against the dietary advice of government health departments and dieticians. However, the “high natural fat, low sugar” diet is a medically accepted regimen that is attracting support from health experts around the world.
In fact, this new diet has many followers on social networks. Many respected medical experts claim that it is the “only” healthy way to lose weight, fight obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
For example, the American dietitian Dr Gary Taubes argues that fighting obesity is not about eating less, but about ‘what’ is consumed. He is emphatic that a low-carb, high-fat diet is the answer.
In fact, the British undertaker popularized a similar diet based on limited sugary carbohydrates. William Banting In the nineteen century. He was obese himself, and the change in diet worked wonders for him. The Banting diet spread throughout Europe and into Scandinavia. Banta remains the main verb for ‘To be on a diet’.
The new ‘low-carb, high-fat’ diet-like goal is not a short-term ‘miracle fat and weight loss’ program. It’s a long-term way to eat healthy.
In some cases, obese people reported losing up to a stone in weight in four weeks. Surprisingly, they did not count calories and almost never felt hungry. Hunger suppression is believed to be due to the way the body processes food in different ways.
For example, with a diet that efficiently consists of sugary and starchy carbohydrates, these are converted into glucose that the body uses as a primary energy source. Any excess sugar is converted to fat and stored for future use.
However, if carbohydrates are severely restricted in the diet, the body then has to use fuel other than glucose for energy. This usually comes from stored fat in the body and any fat in the food that is eaten. In fact, there is little physiological requirement for carbohydrates and none for sugars.
Experts say the key part of a ‘low-carb, high-fat’ diet is limiting total carbohydrates to no more than 50 grams every day. That will free the body of sugar addiction and help with weight loss naturally.
The problem is that reducing carbohydrate intake is not easy. However, when healthy fats are eaten, cravings are reduced because the stomach feels full.
Active people who are on their feet most of the day can eat up to 120 grams of carbohydrates a day and still benefit from burning the extra glucose. Unfortunately for those with a sweet tooth, these carb intake figures apply only to whole foods like vegetables, fruits, legumes, and nuts. These foods contain carbohydrates that are full of nutrients that are slowly metabolized.
Sweet foods with sucrose and fructose, or those made from starch such as potatoes, are prohibited. However, the best thing is that the number of calories in foods don’t count in ‘low-carb, high-fat’ diets. Who likes to count them anyway? The balance of nutrients and healthy fats prevents cravings.
Sugar addicts will not find the switch easy. They are advised to focus on portion control protein and fat, and gradually reduce your intake of starchy vegetables such as potatoes and parsnips.
In the end, one has to reevaluate old notions about nutrition.
Continue in Part 3.
