When caring for our health, we often believe several shocking myths the food industry perpetuates. Most of these misconceptions are developed around the intake of fats and its effects on our body weight. Obesity, one of the predominant health issues across the globe, has always been linked to fat intake, especially saturated ones. However, recent studies have revealed the truth behind it, and today, we will elaborate on it through this post. (1)
Foods High In Saturated Fat
Before jumping into a serious discussion about saturated fat and its relation to weight loss, let’s look at how we can get it. Some of the most common dietary sources of saturated fat include whole milk, cream, butter, lard, egg yolk, pork, steak, bacon, fried foods, processed foods, seafood, baked items, animal products, etc. There are also some plant sources of saturated fat, such as palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, etc.
Saturated Fat And Weight Loss: The Myth
Saturated fat has always been under investigation due to its bad reputation. According to some previous studies, this type of fat has detrimental effects on our blood cholesterol levels, especially ‘bad cholesterol’ or low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the main culprit behind several cardiovascular diseases, including artery-clogging. To top it off, saturated fat is widely accepted to be an obesity-causing poison. As most saturated fats are significantly high in calories and dietary fats, they are believed to contribute to our body weight to a large extent. In one of its publications, the American Heart Association concluded that people dying to lose unwanted body weight should replace the ‘bad’ saturated fats with their healthy counterparts, like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Being low in calories and high in proteins, these fat sources can promote the weight loss efforts of obese individuals, which are usually obstructed by saturated fats.
Saturated Fat And Weight Loss: The Truth
Several recent studies have presented enough evidence to prove the claims above about the link between saturated fat and weight loss completely WRONG. You can now indulge in yummy foods loaded with saturated fats even if you have long been trying to eliminate excess body weight. All you need to do is check the portion sizes you eat throughout the day. But what has made scientists change their decisions? We have jotted them down:
- There is no single cause behind obesity or too much weight gain in humans. It is a severe medical condition associated with several complicated factors, and saturated fat may or may not be one of them.
- Any type of fat is high in calories, and saturated fat is certainly not out of the loop. The amount of calories a gram of saturated fat yields is almost twice the amount of carbohydrates and proteins it provides. In that respect, it can be considered a weight gain trigger. But if the portion size is controlled, saturated fat will have zero negative impact on our body.
- Most high-fat diets become fattening enough due to their high sugar and refined carbohydrates. Carbohydrates boost insulin production, which helps store extra sugar as glycogen molecules in our muscle tissues. However, too much consumption of refined carbohydrates generates excess glycogen, which is mainly stored in fat cells, making us overweight. It means sugar and carbohydrates are to blame, not saturated fats.
- Fat is essential for our body as a nutrient; instead of taking it in minimal doses, we should include it in our regular diet. Increasing fat intake can even help people lose weight in some cases, and a particular study has also come up with exciting results supporting this claim. It divided a group of obese people into three groups, and they were given diets having 90% fats, 90% proteins, and 90% carbohydrates, respectively. Once the study was over, it was found that the first group with a high-fat diet lost the maximum weight!
- Eating adequate saturated fat also helps in the secretion of Cholecystokinin or CCK, which is nothing but a hormone that keeps us full and suppresses hunger. This way, we can avoid overeating, preventing further weight gain.
Also Read – 12 Most Effective Ways for Blasting Away Belly Fat During the Covid-19 Pandemic
Recommended Daily Intake
It is recommended that you do not consume saturated fat more than 10% of your total intake of calories in a day. To be more precise, your total fat might include saturated fat, monounsaturated fat, and polyunsaturated fat in a 1:1:1 ratio. However, adjust your saturated fat intake according to your weight loss goal for the most effective results.
Also Read – A Complete Guide to the 5-Day Indian Diet Plan To Reduce Belly Fat.
Summary
Recent studies have debunked the widely held belief associating saturated fats with weight gain. Contrary to previous notions linking these fats to obesity and cardiovascular issues, scientific evidence suggests that controlled portions of saturated fats don’t necessarily contribute to weight gain. Obesity results from complex factors, and demonizing saturated fats oversimplifies the issue. Diets high in refined carbohydrates and sugar, rather than saturated fats, are identified as major culprits in weight gain. Adequate saturated fat intake can even aid weight loss by inducing a feeling of fullness through hormone secretion. The recommended daily intake is advised not to exceed 10% of total calories, adjusting according to weight loss goals.
