It’s widely thought of that fat is bad for the human body. Increased fat in a diet has been associated with high cholesterol, which worsens a person’s health and can cause heart attacks and other similar problems. But is fat really the bad guy here?

In the 40’s, doctors started recommending low-fat diets because they noticed that people with high cholesterol were usually on high-fat diets. This turned into the modern belief that avoiding all kinds of fat altogether would lead to a healthier lifestyle.[1]

However, people at the time didn’t know that there were different kinds of fat that acted differently based on their composition. Some fats are needed by your body in order to function properly; they help regulate your blood sugar, make you feel fuller, etc.[2]

What’s more likely to cause health problems is sugar. Sugar on its own only provides energy and absolutely no nutrition, which is why it’s commonly referred to as ‘empty calories.[3] Eating sugar in excess can cause a significant rise in your blood sugar level, and has a greater impact on your health compared to eating fat in excess. Eating too much of either can cause weight gain, but at least with fats, they can have positive effects on the body.

Photo from: http://bmag.com.au/eating-and-drinking-in-brisbane/latest/2015/02/04/cheap-brisbane-eats-for-every-day-of-the-week/

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[1] La Berge, Anne F. "How the Ideology of Low Fat Conquered America." Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences. Oxford University Press, 23 Feb. 2008. Web. 06 July 2017.

[2] Hyman, Mark, MD. "Sugar or Fat: What’s Worse for Your Waistline? (Infographic)." Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic. Cleveland Clinic, 05 Nov. 2016. Web. 06 July 2017.

[3] "Sugar vs Fat." Diabetes.co.uk. Diabetes.co.uk, n.d. Web. 06 July 2017. .