Value of Fat in Controlling Blood Sugar and Hunger

Manicotti (pasta replaced with cabbage or any vegetable, or bake as a casserole with zucchini layered on the bottom and top between the delicious cheese filling)  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/manicotti-recipe.html

Low-fat diets did not work for me.  And, based on friends’ efforts, I would argue that for most people, low-fat isn’t the magic key to weight loss. The main culprit to the world’s obesity problem is not fats, but sugars!  Sugar has contributed the world's developed countries’ epidemic of diabetes and obesity crises. How did our ancestors eat hundreds of years ago?   Very little sugar, which was contained in vegetables, fruits, and berries. 

Past general caloric recommendations suggested that 50-60% of total caloric intake should originate from carbohydrates, with 20% from protein and 20-35% from fat. The 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans abandons this past fat restriction, and recommendations expected to be released later this year will omit any limit on total fat consumption.  

So - how does the average person, who already has too many things to think about, begin to track these sorts of statistics?  There are a number of apps and online tools that make it easy to track your food intake on a daily basis.  Do this for a month, and at the end of each day, look at the fat-carb-protein values so you can begin to get a feel for which foods help you achieve your goals.  I mentioned MyFitnessPal in a past blog as one such tool to consider.

It’s easier for me to track nutrition by grams rather than by percentages, so in a typical meal, my goals are:

→ 25-35 g (grams) (28-35%) carbohydrates

→ 20-24 g or 4 oz. of protein. I use the visual cue of a deck of cards 
                              to calculate portion size.

→ remainder of calories come from fats.  

An example of this combination, and an easy snack or lunch, is an apple, celery or other fruit or vegetable (carbohydrates) along with a tablespoon of peanut butter or an ounce of cheese (both have protein and fat).                             

Celery(Substitution for Bread), Peanut Butter and Jam for Breakfast/Snack

A couple of hot tips:

-- Go with low-fat and sometimes regular-fat dairy and other products rather than non-fat.  There are two good reasons for this. First, manufacturers often add extra sugar to enhance the taste of non-fat food products.  Remember manufactures are in the business of marketing a product to entice you to buy it, so be wary of packaging that states, “no added sugar” as there are plenty of foods, such as dried fruit,  that are still high in sugar.  Secondly, if fat is reduced too much, you’ll find that within an hour or two of eating you are hungry again!   You may end up consuming more food than if you had initially included some fat in your meal.

-- Watch the type of fats you consume. The fat guideline to consume more monounsaturated and polyunsaturated than saturated still applies. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommendation is for saturated fat (derived from animal products) to be kept around 10%  or approximately 20 grams of the total fat intake.

--   Portion control is always a key element.  And the great thing about the Veggie HIIT Adventure is while you do need to watch portions of carbs and fats, I seldom worry about eating too many veggies at any meal.

I’ll leave you with a thought.  Many of us have reduced our fat consumption in hopes of losing weight, yet we continue to gain weight. If what we are doing isn’t working, then isn’t it prudent to try something different?  So on your next trip to the grocery store, read food labels (previous blog provides information on labels) prior to purchasing them.  Instead of worrying so much about fat, focus on foods with minimal sugar or that have no more than 15 grams per serving of sugar or carbohydrates. 

Tuna blended with cottage cheese and yogurt in pepper and celery

So if you still are struggling to lose weight despite cutting your fat, I suggest you give this method a go.  Cut your sugar and actually increase your fat intake. I know this advice goes against what you’ve heard for years, but I put forth my weight loss success as a testament.  

I do believe more research is needed in this area as developed countries around the world are in an diabetic epidemic and obesity explosion. View this Time Magazine video for an explanation on how fat assists with the regulation of blood sugar.

An easy breakfast idea:

Yogurt and Fruit:  Go back to the farm days of consuming either whole or low-fat cheese, milk, (whether it is cow, soy, almond or coconut) and yogurt that is plain with no added sugar.  You can always add your own berries for flavoring with either honey, jam or a small amount of sugar, Equal or Stevia, and your product will contain significantly less carbohydrates than commercially flavored yogurt. Another tasty alternative to commercially sugar flavored yogurt is to mix plain yogurt with cottage cheese, which cuts the need for a sweetener and the fruit of your choice.

The next blog will discuss the types of drinking fluids we need to include in our diet for successful results in weight reduction. The post will also include some breakfast smoothie recipes.