Saturated Fat – Likey Or No Likey?

It’s forever going to be held responsible for heart disease, clogging your arteries and raising cholesterol.  But is it really to blame?

Health organisations would argue yes it is and you should follow a low fat diet, eat whole grains, lean meat and fruit and vegetables.  However, this theory has no evidence to suggest saturated fat does this, nor has the advise of eating this way prevented any heart attacks.

The following food plate is recommended by the Food Standards Agency, the UK government and other health organisations;

To be honest, most people I do a consultation for, follow a diet high in carbohydrates low in fat and protein… Pretty similar to the food plate above and aren’t healthy.  They’re coming to see me for help.

Take a look at the green, yellow and purple portion, that’s all carbs – So If this is what healthy looks like, why do we have more heart disease, high cholesterol, diverticulitis, obesity and diabetes than ever before?

Simply put, because the advise we have been given is wrong!  Imagine after 40 years of preaching this, the health organisations turned around and said “hang on a minute, we’ve made a massive mistake, soz!”  They’d lose enormous credibility, so I can’t ever see that happening.

There has been a research dating back to the 1920’s that a diet low in refined carbohydrates, high in fat and protein, keeps us lean and healthy, but it’s never been recommended or recognised by any government or authority. 

Why not?

My investigation in finding the answer of this still continues.  What I do know is that some of the advise given is very confusing and contradicts a lot of my studies.  Take type II diabetes for example.  This is caused when you become resistant to insulin and your body doesn’t recognise it’s secretion by the pancreas.  The job of lowering blood sugar is ineffective, therefore the pancreas just keeps pumping it out in hope of a reaction.  Sadly when this hormone is released our body stores fat.  

Having looked at diabetes.org website, their suggestion to lower sugar intake is to replace it with artificial sweeteners, diet fizzy drinks instead of regular fizzy drinks and low calorie sprays to cook in.  Awful advise for your health, in my opinion.

I believe we can be proactive in changing our health by following a diet of natural, unprocessed, fresh food that is close to its original state.  Saturated fat IS included in this, take coconut for example.  Remember there is a difference in your body’s response to a) the food you eat and b) the medication you take.  Taking meds to lower high blood pressure, cholesterol, and control type 2 diabetes doesn’t mean you’re going to be healthier.  Being proactive in preventing the diseases in the first place, is being healthy.  I’m certainly not suggesting to stop taking your meds – that’s crazy, I’m not a GP!  But I am suggesting to take responsibility for your health and wellbeing.