Good and bad fats

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I was in the doctor's office yesterday, waiting for my wife to be done with her appointment. I picked up "Prevention" magazine and eprused the contents. There were 2 artcles that caught my eye. Ther first was called good and bad fats. I turned to it and read the article. At its begining, there were a few True and False questions/statements. The first of these was "Olive oil is the best oil for reducing LDL (bad) cholesterol." The answer was false. It turns ou that while olilve oil doesn't increase cholesterol levels, it doesn't help reduce bad cholesterol either. The answer also stated that sunflower oil did not contribute to an increase in LDL cholesterol, and in fact, helped lower its levels in the bloodstream, making t the oil of choice for cooking.

The second statement said; "A low fat diet is the best diet for reducing the chances of heart attack." This too was false. In a recent study, 2 groups were placed on seperate diets. The first was given a diet rich in fats where total caloric intake was made up of 33% fat. The second group was given a diet with 8% of total calories derived from fat. The result of the test was that though both groups lost weight, the high fat dieters decreased their chances of getting a heart attack by 18%, while the low-fat dieters reduced their chances by about 7%. At least I think those are the numbers. But I am certain that the high-fat dieters reduced their chance for heart failure significantly more than did the low fat dieters.

The report didn't say what types of fats were given. But assume that as fat contains more calories per unit weight and volume than virtually any other food, the dieters who consumed the high-fat diet had to cut down on portions compared to their low-fat partners.

Something to think about. We keep hearing about low-fat, high fiber, lots of greens and colorful veggies and fruits. I generally believe that stuff. But this article makes me realize that it's all guesswork and that we know too lilttle to pick a particular diet and say that "this one is the best one". I will stick to the "all things in moderation and eat a wide variety in reasonable amounts" plan.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[jennyema]

I think that IS very interesting!

But re: the high fat vs. low fat dieters .... I think a lot has to do with the type of fat they were consuming. Were the "high fat" people consuming sunflower oil, nuts, fish and other sources of "good" or at least not bad fat? Were the low fat people eating diet coke and margerine?

I agree that it's hard to say that a particular diet is the best, but low to mod fat (and more good fat than bad), good carbs, lean protein and lots of fruits/veggies is a hard approach to argue with.

TNX for the info!!!

 

[Piccolina]

I second Jenny, this is very interesting info Goodweed, thank-you for taking the time to share it all with us. I personaly cook primarily with olive oil, as it an oil which my IBS can tolerate, and because we (DH & I) both love its taste and versitility. I know that my cholesterol is good (a couple of years ago I was told it was almost on the low side), and I hope that I can always keep it as such

 

[licia]

It doesn't pay to change our ways much according to each of the studies. The next issue will probably come out with completely different results. There is so much misinformation, it gets hard to sort it out. Probably stress will be what kills us for wondering what diet and what kind of food or fat she should eat and not eat. Probably moderation in all things should apply.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I rely on spiritual answers a great deal. I know not everyone is religeous, so I won't go into detail. But for those who do believe in Diety, prayer is a great way to get answers about virtually anything.

I find more and more that the body and its chemistry is monstously complex. Put that together with the physical processes that we put ourselves through, and we begin to see that we are just now scratching the surface of a very large ball of knowledge. I won't trust the medical community completely for a variety of reasons, most importantly because they are just like us. They know a few things, and guess at a whole bunch more.

That being said, I'd still trust a qualified nutritionist more than I would electrical engineering tech., like myself, when it comes to sound nutrition. Now if you need someone to build you a computer-controlled light tracking system...

And I still agree, moderation in all things, and don't go off the deep end for any diet plan. Keep and open mind and learn as much info as possible, about as many things as possible, epecially about things that directly concern our health and life enjoyment.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[Constance]

I have a friend who is a holistic practioner, and while I don't go to the extremes he does (no beef, pork, sugar), I have modified my diet and found out it that what I eat really makes a difference in the severity of my arthritis pain.

The basic premise is that the human body is a perfect machine. If we give it the appropiate fuel, it will run like a Singer sewing machine. A healthy body can fight off infections and is less susceptible to degenerative diseases. The fact that it still functions when we eat junk is a tribute to the genius of it's design.

I think we should limit our animal fats. Primitive man needed those fats to keep him warm and give him nourishment to live off of when times were lean. Our forebears had to expend large amounts of energy just to survive. They couldn't go to the supermarket and pick up a steak. The fact that they could live off of fruits and nuts, but were also carnivores is what kept them alive.

I believe in a generally balanced diet, low on the sugar.

 

[Eric_C]

I totally believe the second statement.

My doctor told me to make most of my diet items that are 10 percent calories from fat. 15 percent were ok as a smaller portion and only once in a while having 25 percent for a dessert or something similar.

 

[valnaples]

Here's what I think: Americans in general eat WAY TOO large portions...and processed foods. My dad died of colon cancer so I try to maintain a low-fat, high-fiber diet at the recommendation of physician (my last cholesterol count was 125) but yeah, I'm due for a colonoscopy in 2 years. Folks, stay away from McD's ... it's killing us.

 

[licia]

I'm amazed at the number of people who take no caution in their diets. We have fried foods only very occasionally, eat lots of fruits and veggies, mostly chicken, turkey and little beef or pork - some fish. If we eat out, we usually bring half home with us for another meal. I think the thing that bothers me most is to see so many young people who are so much overweight. I know how hard it is to rid ourselves of excess weight as we get older and just wonder how they will be as they age. Fortunately most of the people in my family are not overweight, but we do have some who are quite obese and I'm trying to encourage them to shed some pounds.