We probably remember the fat free craze that hit the "diet world" more than twenty years ago. The idea was that fats in processed foods made you fat, so if you take the fat out, you won't get fat. The error in this was that when they took the fat out of products like cake, cookies, etc. they replaced it with sugar. And then people ate more because the cookies were "fat free." Furthermore, not all fats are the same. Some are healthy for your body and nutritionally sound for your intake. Others are treats.
Here is the skinny on fat. Ha! There are healthy fats which are called UNsaturated fat. These fats come from plants, seeds, nuts, olive, canola, sunflower, safflower and flaxseed oil and even some seafood. These are good for you, heart healthy, and a necessary part of a balanced "diet." On the other hand, SATurated fats are found in red meat (think marbling) and dairy, cookies, cakes, whipped cream on top of coffee sundaes, etc.
The leading cause of obesity and becoming overweight comes from the overconsumption of SATurated fat and sugar. (Hence the Snackwells problem.)
The moral of the story is to be mindful of which fats you are consuming--heart healthy UNsaturated fats which are good for you can be consumed regularly. The hitch is that they are still high in Smartpoints values because they are calorically dense (a tsp of oil is a point). On the other hand, the SATurated fats need to be considered wisely and planned for. Eating or drinking them is not about getting in more nutrition really...it's about pleasure, which is part of our consumption too.
This week, see if you can determine which fats you are eating more often--and which ones might be subbed out for a healthier option. Why? So that you can be healthy, stay within your points' target and hopefully lose and/or maintain your weight. It's ok! You are worth it.
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