Do you remember SnackWells? They were unappetizing fat-free cookies created in the low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet years. Thankfully, the manufacturer discontinued them in 2022. Goodbye and good riddance.
Did you also know that the low-fat craze of the ’80s and ’90s was not based on any scientifically sound research? In fact, the war on fat in our diet was an experimental failure.
Why does a nutritious and balanced diet include healthy fats? Because fat is our friend!
Why is fat our friend?
Fat is our friend because the body requires fat from our food for many critical metabolic processes.
- Fat is a source of energy, especially for the brain and the heart.
- Fat plays a crucial role in hormone production.
- The fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, A, and K, need fat for proper absorption.
- The cell membrane, which is the exterior of every cell in the body, requires fat.
- Fats are essential for blood clotting and muscle movement.
Historical overview of the low-fat diet
How did we end up thinking that fat is our enemy?
1970
Ancel Keys, an American physiologist, published his Seven Countries Study, which stated increased saturated fat intake caused higher rates of coronary heart disease.
John Yudkin, a British physiologist and nutritionist, published a book called Pure White and Deadly: How Sugar is Killing Us and What We Can Do to Stop It. He proclaimed the cause of heart disease, liver disease, obesity, and some cancers was sugar.
In 1977, the Dietary Goals for Americans recommended a diet of increased carbohydrates and decreased fat intake. Some scientific and nutritional communities considered this controversial because of lack of scientific evidence.
High fructose corn syrup, an artificial sugar made from corn syrup, became a cheap substitute for sugar in the manufacture of many processed food products in the late 1970s. Today, it is a common ingredient in many foods, including breads, salad dressings, sauces, baked goods, juices, sodas, candy, yogurt, canned fruit, granola bars, cereals, coffee creamer, jams, and jellies.
2000
Some journalists and experts claimed the Seven Countries Study done in the 1950s by Ancel Keys was seriously flawed and perhaps fraudulent. The study remains controversial today.
Robert Lustig, an American pediatric endocrinologist, came to public attention with his books on how sugar influences obesity and chronic disease. His scathing lecture, Sugar: the Bitter Truth, went viral on YouTube in 2009.
2016
A review of the Sugar Research Foundation’s internal documents, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, revealed the SRF downplayed early warning signals that sugar was a dietary cause of cardiovascular disease. In addition, they even promoted fat as a cause of heart disease instead of sugar in the studies funded by them.
2017
New studies show increased carbohydrate intake as a risk of mortality from heart disease. In fact, they found fat intake to be associated with lower total mortality.
What does history tell us?
Dietary guidelines deceived us because they were based on fraudulent or non-existent scientific research. A conspiracy by the food industry, specifically the Sugar Association, defrauded us. Not to mention the politics behind the policies to include high fructose corn syrup as an ingredient in our food.
This topic is still controversial, just like the last 60 years. Most nutritionists agree there are good fats and bad fats. Some guidelines suggest eating saturated fats such as coconut oil, beef, pork, lamb, and full fat dairy products in moderation, especially if you have a history of cardiovascular disease.
Final words
Fat is our friend! Make sure you’re getting enough healthy fats in your diet because your body needs them.
Here are some substitutions in your meals to incorporate healthy fats into your diet. What are your favorite foods containing healthy fats?
| Try this | Instead of this |
|---|---|
| Scrambled eggs with avocado slices (and cheese, if including saturated fats) | Cereal with milk |
| Whole fat yogurt with fruit and stevia | Fat-free yogurt cups with added sugar |
| Salad dressings made with olive oil | Bottled salad dressings with soybean and canola oils |
| Fatty fish such as salmon and sardines | Hot dogs, lunch meat and other processed meats |
| Walnuts, almonds, nut butter on celery sticks | Cookies, candy |
| Raw vegetables and hummus | Crackers, chips, pretzels |
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