Low fat diets have become popular in recent decades because fat is an energy rich food and energy is seen as the pariah of weight gain. However, the total energy content of the diet is not the only determinant of weight gain. While many follow low fat diets, few realise how dangerous they can be. For example, two of the fats required for health are in low amounts in the Western diet. Decreasing fat intake further limits these essential fats and this can cause illness and death. Further the foods eaten by those following a low fat diet are often compensated for their fat content by an increase in sugar content, and this causes significant disease through the development of insulin resistance. Fats are also required as a structural component for the formation of a number of hormones including the sex hormones and the stress hormones, and limiting fat intake can therefore disrupt hormone metabolism. Lastly, low fat diets are also low cholesterol diets, and cholesterol is a vital component to ensure proper brain function.
Eat Well, Stay Healthy, Protect Yourself
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