I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that fat-free diet you have been adhering to is not doing you any good. That’s because fat does not actually make you fat. That’s right; the one food group you have been avoiding is not the reason your waist line is expanding. Rather, it’s the added sugar and preservatives in fat-free foods that contributes to weight gain.
Here’s how it works: food corporations feed (no pun intended) on the fact that American’s have been brainwashed, so to speak, to believe fat is detrimental to your health. The result? Many of your favorite foods are offered with a “fat-free” or “reduced fat” option. Seems like a simple equation: you buy the “healthier” option and big-money food corporations laugh all the way to the bank. This is where you are all wrong.
Modifying food to reduce or eliminate fat calls for the use of many unnatural food additives. The additive used the most to constitute for the resulting lack of taste in fat reduction is sugar. Spoiler alert: sugar makes you fat.
Sugar comes in three forms: glucose, fructose, and galactose. Other forms include sucrose, maltose, and lactose. When sugar is ingested, it gets metabolized in the liver. Sugar, but more specifically fructose, is not an energy source that the body can burn to produce long-term, sustained energy, like protein or a complex carbohydrate. The body then stores sugar as fat to be used at a later time. Fats are a more immediate, usable source of energy for the body. Therefore, they don’t actually get stored as fat in the body as is true for sugar.
All-in-all, if you are trying to watch your weight or lead an overall healthier lifestyle, eliminate as much added sugar as possible from your diet. You’re bound to notice an improvement in your energy levels, complexion, mental clarity, and overall well-being. Also, try incorporating healthy fats such as those found in avocado, nuts, and olive oil into your diet. Steer clear of those tempting marketing lines of “reduced fat” and “fat-free” and you’ll be the savviest shopper in the supermarket. Happy eating!