Fats, Carbs and Sugars and the Diet Connection
Things change quite frequently in the world of nutrition. We have been told that fats were the bad guys in the past, and then they said that carbs were to blame for all of the weight problems.
No one thing should be totally taken away from your diet. You need fats as well as carbohydrates to be healthy. Overeating this items causes major problems.
Fats
Now, we are told that fats are ok, as long as the right types of fats are eaten, and in moderate amounts.
Moderate amounts of trans and saturated fats are okay. They are in chips, cakes, cookies and other processed foods. These can be eaten every once in a while, but not all of the time.
For dieting fats have a significance. Take for instance the free diet plans that allow and encourage fats such as the Atkins diet plan. The Atkins diet focuses on fats and lowers carbs which in turn causes the body to burn stored fat for weight loss. It is very effective but even the Atkins diet supports eating leaner fats and proteins.
Fats give the body energy and help to utilize important vitamins. Fat aids in metabolism and other body processes.
Although having some fat in your diet is necessary, too much fat can lead to heart disease, high cholesterol, and some forms of cancer. The Fat percentage of the daily diet calories should stay at 10-20%. Too much fat is really bad for the body.
Trans fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol are harmful to the body. These should be avoided whenever possible. Obesity is said to be linked to high fat consumption.
Reading food labels makes it easier to make better choices. This will give you all the nutritional facts and how much fats and carbs are present. This will allow for better choices in diets.
Avoid processed foods, and high fat meats. Try to make sure that what you are eating is good for you.
Carbohydrates
The body needs carbohydrates also. They give the body energy, and are found in breads, cereals, fruits, vegetables, grains, milk, and other dairy products. There are simple and complex carbs, the complex are considered good ones versus the simple ones that are not as healthy.
For many carbds are more difficut to understand. Overall all bread has carbs but whole grain is better than white.
Salt and sugar should really be limited in the diet. This country is facing a worldwide epidemic of obesity due to high levels of sugars and fats in the diet. Bad foods also put people at risk foro heart disease, stroke and cancer. When we can take the time to learn about the good and bad of different foods, we can do more to live a healthy lifestyle.