What's Eating You? The Fat Edition...and not PHAT

Fats are good for you...fats are bad for you...

Sound familiar?  We have all seen the headlines that saturated fat is good, then it's bad, then it's good, then it's bad again.  As a consumer, what are you to do?  I have a glimpse of hope for you.  It is all about moderation!  Surprise!  Just like everything, too much of a good thing is bad for you!  The sun is a great, natural source of vitamin D, but stay out there too long, and you will get burnt (possibly increasing your chances of skin cancer).  Another example is vitamin overdose.  Yes, vitamins are great for you, but eat a whole bottle of the Flinstone's gummies (or whatever brand or kind you prefer) and see how quickly you end up in the ER....hmmmm kind of like "Sun poisoning" (overdose of Vitamin D).

 Everybody's body is different, and no two people are the same.  Saturated fats will have a negative effect on your body over time...especially if you do not make healthy food choices.  Heard of cholesterol?  You have?  Well then, just so you know, Cholesterol is Saturated Fat's cousin.  If you have a cholesterol problem, then you certainly have a fat problem.

According to the Mayo Clinic, "Research about the possible harms and benefits of dietary fat is always evolving.  Anda growing body of research suggest that when it comes to dietary fat, you should focus on eating healthy fats and avoiding unhealthy fats.  Simply stated, fat is made up of varying amounts of fatty acids.  It's the type and amount of fatty acid found in food that determines the effect of the fat on your health".

The Healthy Part of Fat

Monounsaturated Fats:  Improves blood cholesterol levels, benefit insulin levels and blood sugar
Polyunsaturated Fats:  Plant based - improves blood cholesterol levels and may also decrease risk of Type
                                   2 diabetes
Omega-3 Fatty Acids:  Heart healthy - fish, flax seed - lower blood pressure levels.



A No Fat Diet?

A not so good idea.  You see, while watching your fat intake is a good idea...and even a better idea...."your body needs some fat - the healthy fats- to function normally.  If you try to avoid all fat, you risk getting insufficient amounts of fat soluble vitamins and essential fatty acids.  You may wind up eating too many processed foods touted as low-fat or fat free" (I am screaming HUGE sodium intake here) "...rather than healthier and naturally lower fat foods...enjoy healthy fats in moderation" (www.mayoclinic.com).

I want to note that even the healthy fats have calories.  So, make sure that you consume these healthy fats as a substitute to other fatty foods...not in addition to them!

The most recent "health" topic that hit social media yesterday was the Kind company and it's "healthy" nutrition bars. This is the main reason I am writing this article.  I am in no way slamming the Kind company...it is non-GMO, whole grains, and healthy goodies.  What makes these the spotlight of the argument is the saturated and transfats that are in it...possibly from what is holding all those pieces together. 

According to the FDA, for an item to listed or marketed as "healthy" it cannot contain more than 1 gram of saturated fats per serving.  Now with that being said, we are going to do a comparison between a Snickers bar and the Kind Bar in question.  I am using the information provided by www.NPR.org.

A Snickers Bar has about 250 calories per serving and 4.5 grams saturated fat
A Kind Bar (Fruit & Nut Almond & Coconut) has 190 calories per serving and over 1.5 grams of saturated fat.

I do not condone the company unethically marketing their bars as healthy, but if you knew how the food works in your body, you may look at it differently.

If I had a Snickers or other candy bar or "health" bar loaded with chocolate and white grains, those sugars are burned first by your body.  If it's not burned, it is then stored to fat.

Now, when I eat a wholesome, nutritious bar (nuts for protein, whole grains, no added sugars) my body will start out breaking these items down.  Because they are more complex, it will take longer for your body to break it down and use it...thereby increasing your metabolism.

In my own opinion, I would rather go with the non-candy bar option as my body can actually use all of the ingredients I am putting into my body for the good, rather than the sugar.

Metabolic Research Center knows all about your body and physiology.  They have taken the guess work out of choosing fats, counting calories, and counting carbs.  You are given a menu with a TON of options to choose from...ALL HEALTHY FATS, ALL LOW CARB, ALL HIGH IN NUTRIENTS, AND ALL BOUGHT AT YOUR LOCAL GROCER! 

Contact me for more info about Metabolic Research Center!
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I am an independent contractor for Metabolic Direct and Metabolic Research Center.  This information is not intended to treat or heal any diseases and are listed as supplements only.  Customers and / or potential clients are encouraged to complete a health screen information sheet with a MRC Direct Coach prior to purchasing the product and to consult with their physician prior to starting any new supplements or weight loss programs.


References:
www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2015/04/15/399851645/nut-so-fast-kind-bars
www.mayoclinic.com