Many of us have gone about our lives believing that too much fat in our foods is what will inevitably lead to us being rather hefty. Programmes such as Supersize Me have consistently shown us the effects of deep-friend foods that will inevitably lead to us packing our suitcases for our move to Sea World with all the other Shamoos. New research, however, is pointing to something that claims quite the contrary: sugar, as opposed to fat, is the real danger, the real killer, often shrouded within the secrecy of unsuspecting ‘health’ foods such as granola and pre-packaged salads, fooling us all by sneaking into our wine glasses and adding an extra couple of hundred calories within a couple seconds’ glugging. It’s rather like a virus that we cannot see, and seems to be everywhere. But how true is this new claim? Rather than taking sides between the two most corrupt of our food groups, could it be that the real horror is something else altogether?
First of all, we can point to the benefits of sugar.
The body needs it, of course, sugar being a vital source of energy – particularly if you lead a very active lifestyle – and because glucose plays such a vital part in memory storing, it increases recollection and the efficiency of our neural activity when it comes to performing complex tasks (such as slaving away over that horrible essay you’ve been putting off, and probably still are as you read this article). A great, whopping dose of it every once in a while is also a great way to give your metabolism a big boost.
However, the protein found in largely fatty foods we are told to eat in moderation (such as burgers and other sources of red meat) leave us fuller for longer, as opposed to a high intake of sugar, a ‘quick-fix’ energy boost in which the brain loses its ability to signal us to stop eating – particularly in combination with high fat foods. Thus, eating a diet with more fat content will potentially lead to lesser calories consumed, as the body will request far less. Sugary foods also tend to contain a lot of trans fats; that is, those that are found in cakes, cookies, pastries and similar tasty beasts. These sneaky, little fats do well to raise your LDL (bad cholesterol) whilst lowering your HDL (good cholesterol), which our blood sugar levels will not find too fun to work with.
As we roll into 2014, processed foods have become the norm in our hectic lives, particularly as students. Processed foods also tend to be cheap; we can all relate to that moment when we see a packet of biscuits on offer in Tesco, and we chuck them into our baskets because, well, why not have a treat? Everyday these days seems to be a Friday. It’s no surprise that we as a nation are getting bigger by the year. The food industry cannot help but ponder to its consumer’s desires; we as a nation crave the sweet taste of sugar, thrown into everything from our pasta sauces to our bread rolls. But would it be right to, as some believe, switch to a diet completely based on fat instead? Unfortunately, it still wouldn’t do – giving your body no reason to produce insulin by depriving it of sugar will result in said body going to extremes in order to produce it, possibly sending your insulin levels into overdrive, increasing the risk of diabetes. So just what am I saying here? What is the answer?!
I wish there were a magic potion to make us all have the perfect Vicky Secret model bods we all well and truly deserve, but alas, there isn’t, and the only thing we can do to resist the irresistible sugar fairy’s dust is to avoid processed foods as much as possible (anything with an ingredients list containing words as elusive as the Dead Sea Scrolls). Processed foods are where the deadly sugar and baddie fats such as saturates and trans all club together to warp our hunger signals. Mixing the food groups in the right way will also help; are you eating too much fatty protein and sugary carbs in one sitting? That feeling of having a belly like a bull-frog will decrease slightly if you swap your steak and chips for steak and salad instead. It may sound rather drab, but it is by no means impossible to eat healthily without consuming meals fit for your pet rabbit. Next time you’re craving that factory-born strawberry milkshake (we could talk about how McDonalds’ strawberry milkshakes contain over fifty ingredients with not ONE of them being actual strawberries, but that’s another article for another day), reach for a bowl of real strawberries and some Greek yoghurt instead – I bet you’ll feel twice as good afterwards for being savvy about what you’re body really needs, and what it really, really doesn’t.
It’s a New Year, girls – why not make it a New You, too? Be smart by being healthy, maintain your fabulousness and be kind to your body – it really is a temple!