Staying in shape and eating healthy is very important to avoid dangerous diseases. Obesity can make people develop a risk of heart and liver diseases, diabetes, and hypertension. Therefore, it is crucial to follow a healthy diet plan. However, this doesn’t imply that one should stop eating fatty foods altogether. Some people cut down on nutritious foods just by focusing on the dangers of fat. While it is true that some kinds of fats are dangerous, there are also many myths regarding them.
Common Myths Regarding the Dangers of Fat
Some people equate being healthy to a slimmer waist and the ideal body mass index. However, this is not always true. Even with the right BMI, people can experience severe nutritional deficiencies. So, here are some common myths regarding the benefits and dangers of fat discussed in detail so that you can adopt a healthier diet plan:
It Can Make You Gain Weight
A very common myth about fats is that they can make you gain weight fast. This is entirely false. Fats, when ingested in controlled amounts can’t make you fat. However, if you keep eating fatty foods whole-day long for several weeks, these are surely going to make you fat.
It also depends on your lifestyle. If you do rigorous exercises to lose weight daily, then 200-300 grams of fats won’t make you fat. But if you just sit in your chair the whole day long and don’t engage in any serious physical activity, you should not intake more than 100 grams of fat daily.
Only Fat-free Diet Plans Can make You Lose Weight
Nowadays, many new methods and diet plans have popped up that can make you lose weight. Some people are getting a non-surgical weight loss procedure done for them while others are considering the infamous ‘Keto diet.’ However, one thing is common among all the followers and users of these plans and procedures. They all try to eliminate all kinds of fats from their diet plans.
One thing that they should keep in mind is that a diet plan should be a sustainable one as well. Following a diet plan for a few months and then fighting nutritional deficiencies is not the right course of action. Severe nutritional deficiencies can make you develop liver and kidney diseases. These can even make you develop eating disorders and serious mental health problems.
Therefore, people should opt for a diet plan that can be followed in the long run. A healthy and sustainable plan should include adequate amounts of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates in it. So, intake a good amount of each component every day to stay fit and live longer.
It Is Quite Heavy on the Stomach
Most people believe that it is one of the most prominent dangers of fat. Fat can get the stomach upset easily. However, it is a big myth. Fats are not heavy on the stomach. They are also not the biggest causes of ulcers and gastritis.
Compared to fats, dietary products are much harder to digest. It is only if you intake fats in huge amounts that the risk of developing such conditions can increase. So, consume fats every day to gain amazing nutritional benefits.
Fat Is Not Nutritious
This is the biggest myth regarding the disadvantages of fat. The reason why most of the weight loss diets fail is that they don’t contain healthy amounts of essential nutrients. Although fats are rich sources of fatty acids, these are not the only nutritional items present in fats.
They also include vitamins like D, A, and E. Fat contains an optimal composition of fatty acids. Other healthy acids like oleic, palmitic, and linolenic acids are also found in fats. Surprisingly, these acids are not present in vegetables and fruits. So, if you want to intake all kinds of nutrients, you should consume an adequate amount of fats as well.
Cholesterol Should Be Avoided at Any Cost
Fats are rich sources of cholesterol. And many people believe that cholesterol is very harmful to the body. Many people associate it with rapid weight gain during pregnancy. However, it is not entirely true.
Cholesterol is an essential component of our diets. It is necessary to gain energy and stay active. The only thing that you’ve to worry about is to keep cholesterol levels under control!
Fried Fat Is Especially Harmful
Another common myth about the benefits and dangers of fat is that fried food only makes you fat. It doesn’t have any nutritional value and is quite harmful. However, if you light fry a vegetable/meat, it is likely to retain its nutritional properties. Deep-fried foods are, however, full of carcinogens and harmful substances.
Alcohol Is Great To Digest Fat
This is not a myth. Alcohol can indeed help you to digest fatty foods faster. However, it is not a healthy thing to consume daily. This is because excessive alcohol consumption can make you develop liver diseases. You can consider options like running instead. Running can improve your health and speed up the digestion process. Therefore, you should consider doing exercise along with consuming fats to live longer.