Fat makes you fat? Or not?

[bozmandb9]

Do people still believe in the 'low fat' mantra? I appreciate it may still be government policy or consensus medical opinion, to an extent, but that's only because there's a limit to how quickly they can backtrack after five decades of telling us to avoid natural foods, and consume processed carbs because they are low fat!

Margarine was designed as an industrial lubricant, and not being terribly good in this role, was demoted to being a 'health food' but replaced the high natural fat of butter, with transfats, which we all now know (hopefully) to be the most toxic product for human health. Margarine manufacturers quietly reduced transfats in margarine, whilst doctors dieticians and the govt continued to demonise saturated fats, and added transfats to the naughty list.

In the meantime, whilst the 'low fat' diet was promoted over half a century, obesity and diabetes have become an epidemic.

So my question again, do people still believe the 'fat is bad' mantra?

 

[MikeG]

You can't beat the equation energy in should equal energy out, otherwise you'll gain or lose weight. Fat is one form of energy in (fuel), and its calories count in just the same way as other forms of fuel. It isn't the only form of fuel, so it isn't the only thing whose consumption should be controlled to maintain a healthy weight.

 

[bozmandb9]

You can't beat the equation energy in should equal energy out, otherwise you'll gain or lose weight. Fat is one form of energy in (fuel), and its calories count in just the same way as other forms of fuel. It isn't the only form of fuel, so it isn't the only thing whose consumption should be controlled to maintain a healthy weight.

I find the energy equation very facile. Try putting diesel into your petrol car, or vice versa, it's all energy propellants after all!

As a society we tend to focus far too much on the energy equation, ignoring the ability of our body to assimilate or utilise the energy, and, more importantly, ignoring the long term effects of micro nutrients on health (i.e. to continue the car analogy, try continuing to fuel your car, when the spark plugs are fouled due to poor quality fuel, the alternator has stopped working, and it's got no oil or water!

ETA You can be the equation with common sense, otherwise, try fuelling yourself with cheap margarine, according to said equation, you'll save a fortune, except you'll die before it amounts to much.

 

[growingvegetables]

Bought an oxtail this afternoon - and stopped the butcher cutting off "excess" fat. It is ALL going into the casserole pot. Just a tuppenyworth .

 

[Drago]

I draw the line at beef dripping.

 

[bozmandb9]

I draw the line at beef dripping.

My grandfather used to have lard and bread every day - was never overweight. Worked as a farmer all his life - used to scoff at the idea of 'low fat' - taking the taste out of meat.

 

[bozmandb9]

I quite like dripping on toast.

But too much fat will indeed make you fat. It's very calorie dense.

It doesn't really matter about the calorie density. Fat also makes you full. Sugar and MSG make you fatter, since they don't make you so full.

Back in the day, when I was fat, I remember eating a Pizza, and feeling still full. I wanted to put another in the oven, but thought I'd look at the packet and get the nutritional information - it was 1200 calories I'd just consumed, which left me feeling hungry! That would be two thirds of a cup of lard. Try eating that and keeping it down.

 

[Dayvo]

Everything in moderation (and I mean EVERYTHING ) but sugar is the real enemy.

 

[Prometheus]

YES:

I read this some time ago so cant find the page.

But it went something like this: kids go through a growth spurt
about 10/11so before this happens, they are designed to put on extra fat
to carry them through this period otherwise they will be stunted
latter on in life.
Now with modern life to much Fatty food, and they make extra fat cells to
hold the access.
Doubling the fat cells leads to obesity later on in life!
Unless a check is constantly keep on weight all through life.

I am all for locking them down a cellar for this period.
Rolling down the steps an odd Cabbage, with a bowl of
Gruel from time to time.

 

[MikeG]

I find the energy equation very facile. Try putting diesel into your petrol car, or vice versa, it's all energy propellants after all!

As a society we tend to focus far too much on the energy equation, ignoring the ability of our body to assimilate or utilise the energy, and, more importantly, ignoring the long term effects of micro nutrients on health (i.e. to continue the car analogy, try continuing to fuel your car, when the spark plugs are fouled due to poor quality fuel, the alternator has stopped working, and it's got no oil or water!

ETA You can be the equation with common sense, otherwise, try fuelling yourself with cheap margarine, according to said equation, you'll save a fortune, except you'll die before it amounts to much.

The OP was specifically about obesity, not about nutrition. Nobody, least of all me, is saying that a high fat diet supplies all the nutrients your body needs, and I am sure you aren't suggesting that fat is indigestible (or worse), so your diesel/ petrol analogy doesn't appear logical or useful.

 

[bozmandb9]

YES:

I read this some time ago so cant find the page.

But it went something like this: kids go through a growth spurt
about 10/11so before this happens, they are designed to put on extra fat
to carry them through this period otherwise they will be stunted
latter on in life.
Now with modern life to much Fatty food, and they make extra fat cells to
hold the access.
Doubling the fat cells leads to obesity later on in life!
Unless a check is constantly keep on weight all through life.

I am all for locking them down a cellar for this period.
Rolling down the steps an odd Cabbage, with a bowl of
Gruel from time to time.

I have a 15 year old, and a 12 year old. My 15 year old is lean like Froome (also a keen cyclist), very high fat diet. My 12 year old also has no fat. Their friends, who have lots of sugar, but much lower fat diets, are overweight or obese.

You're right to an extent, when you increase fat cells, it increases your inclination towards obesity in later life, but the fat cells are to store excess energy, which can be from too much sugar (most common), protein (extremely common especially in America), or excess fat (much less common now).

For evidence, just look at the explosion in obesity levels in the past 5 decades, as we've transitioned to lower fat, more processed foods.

 

[bozmandb9]

The OP was specifically about obesity, not about nutrition. Nobody, least of all me, is saying that a high fat diet supplies all the nutrients your body needs, and I am sure you aren't suggesting that fat is indigestible (or worse), so your diesel/ petrol analogy doesn't appear logical or useful.

Firstly, I am the OP. Secondly, I'm promoting fat as a useful and essential part of diet, and thirdly, the low fat alternatives, for example trans-fats in margarines, are indigestible (and worse), so the comparison stands. I'm saying the energy balance equation is not useful, because it ignores quality, and focuses purely on calorie quantity.

 

[Prometheus]

Quite right

Now with modern life to much Fatty food, and sugar

 

[midlife]

Can you still buy margarine? Must check...

 

[MikeG]

Firstly, I am the OP. Secondly, I'm promoting fat as a useful and essential part of diet, and thirdly, the low fat alternatives, for example trans-fats in margarines, are indigestible (and worse), so the comparison stands. I'm saying the energy balance equation is not useful, because it ignores quality, and focuses purely on calorie quantity.

You might think you wanted to talk about nutrition, but you didn't mention it. Secondly, diesel in a petrol car stops it dead. How useful is that anaolgy? Thirdly, you made a frankly ridiculous claim for which you offer no substantiation: that "consensus medical opinion" spent "five decades.....telling us to avoid natural foods". How about you back up that bit first?

Oh, and perhaps you could point to the person who has suggested that fat isn't a useful and essential part of diet?