Pirogova Irina Yurievna
Deputy Chief Physician for Organizational and Methodological Work, Head of the Center for Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Gastroenterologist
Most people blame fats for excess weight gain and poor health. Let's find out if this is true.
Indeed, fats make people fat and sick.
But not at all from those who are usually accused of this. People get fat and get sick not from animal fats, but from vegetable oils. Moreover, vegetable oils have a negative effect on the human body in two of their forms: as trans fats and as regular liquid vegetable oils.
What diseases can trans fats cause?
- Cancer:
Trans fats block enzymes that are responsible for fighting cancer in the body. - Diabetes:
these fats bind to cellular insulin receptors and the hormone simply cannot work. - Decreased immunity:
trans fat molecules reduce the effectiveness of the immune response. - Sexual problems:
trans fats interfere with the normal production of sex hormones. - Interference with the normal functioning of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids.
- Heart disease:
Trans fats contribute to clogged arteries. - Obesity.
- Asthma.
- Alzheimer's disease.
- Behavioral disorders
(aggression, tendency to violence).
In general, it is easier to say which body functions are not affected by trans fats than to list all the adverse health effects that are associated with them.
What foods are recommended to avoid?
Fatty foods are difficult for the body to digest, so they quickly make you fat; it is better to avoid such foods. One gram of fat provides 9 calories, so foods high in fat should be limited.
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Foods you should avoid:
- fatty meat - pork, bacon, lard, sausages, bacon;
- butter;
- mayonnaise;
- cheese;
- margarine;
- dairy and fermented milk products with a fat content of more than 15%;
- smoked fish;
- chips and crackers (with various food additives);
- seeds, nuts;
- canned meat;
- semi-finished products;
- French fries and all deep-fried foods;
- foods fried in large amounts of oil;
- fast food.
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Seasonings with food additives such as E621, flavor enhancers and monosodium glutamate pose a greater health hazard. Such food is harmful and can lead to improper functioning of the digestive system. For girls, in order to get rid of excess weight, it is important to maintain proper nutrition and consume foods that make you fat in a limited form.
What foods contain trans fats?
At home, the main source of trans fats is margarine. But that's not the worst thing. Margarine is easy to avoid.
The worst thing is that the food industry runs on trans fats. So the answer to the question “where are those terrible trans fats?” will sound like this: wherever possible. They are easy to find in any industrially prepared product. It could be cookies, or sausage, ketchup or a frozen casserole.
Therefore, if you want to protect yourself from the toxic effects of trans fats, you should not only eliminate margarine from your diet, but also forget about all prepared foods, from frozen dough to sausages.
Milk
Cow's milk has a fairly high carbohydrate content due to the presence of lactose - milk sugar (approximately 5 g per 100 ml). Therefore, when losing weight, it is better to limit it.
Photo: istockphoto.com
Track how much milk you drink. If it's just one cappuccino a day, choosing plant-based alternatives is not necessary. If you drink several cups of milk drink and prepare milk cereals, it is best to switch to organic soy without added sugar. This kind of milk contains the most protein and no carbohydrates - the perfect balance for those losing weight!
Vegetable fats are more dangerous than trans fats
Spenders are terrible. However, regular vegetable oils can be even worse. In this case, the drama of the situation also lies in the fact that, unlike trans fats, the harm of which is widely known, vegetable oils are an enemy whose existence few people realize, and therefore do not think about defending against.
Of course, what has been said does not apply to all vegetable fats without exception, and you can always answer the question of which vegetable oil is the healthiest. Everything is determined by its composition, and the influence of this composition on the human body.
Granola and cereal bars
Perhaps the most insidious representatives of “healthy” products are granola and bars made from nuts and cereals. When purchasing, carefully read the ingredients: you should be alerted by the presence of sugar or honey at the beginning of the list.
If you still really love granola and muesli, then you can easily prepare them at home. This way you will be absolutely sure that there are no unnecessary harmful additives in your breakfast or snack.
Photo: istockphoto.com
Mix honey, banana puree, chopped nuts, dried berries and dried fruits, various seeds, as well as long-cooked rolled oats or green buckwheat. Bake this mixture in the oven, stirring every 15 minutes, then dry and store in a tightly sealed jar.
In the case of bars from the mixture, form a square about 2 cm high, bake in the oven and 5 minutes before ready, cut into rectangles.
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Why are these fats so dangerous?
Firstly,
These are all polyunsaturated and, therefore, very unstable fats. And since they are unstable, they cannot be subjected to heat treatment, since when heated they oxidize and form a huge amount of toxic compounds, for example, oxidized triglycerides.
Poisonous oxidation products of vegetable oils have no less, and, according to some studies, even stronger negative effects on the human body than trans fats.
So you need to remember the following: unsaturated oils are, in principle, not intended for cooking. And if you bought sunflower oil, you can season a tomato salad with it, but you can’t fry eggs with it.
Secondly,
All of the vegetable oils listed are rich in omega-6 fatty acids. The human body needs omega-6 fatty acids, but not in such quantities as it receives them today.
At the same time, it is dangerous not only to have an excessively large amount of omega-6 fatty acids as such, but also to have an incorrect ratio of omega-6 and omega-3 fats.
At the present time, for all people who constantly eat vegetable oils and, most importantly, cook with them, this ratio differs from normal by 10 times or more.
It has been established that an excess of omega-6 fatty acids threatens the early development of atherosclerosis and other vascular diseases, asthma, arthritis, the formation of tumors and malfunctions of the immune system.
You can fry in oils that are saturated, that is, they cannot be oxidized, since they do not contain double bonds. These oils include most healthy animal fats, such as butter or lard. And also some vegetable oils.
For example, coconut oil for frying is the best choice. However, this oil is not yet very widespread in our country and is not cheap.
Do not fry in oil, which oxidizes during heat treatment, forming toxic compounds. It is mainly polyunsaturated fats that are oxidized. These are harmful vegetable oils: sunflower, corn, soybean.
There are also oils that occupy an intermediate position between “plus” and “minus”. These are oils that can be used for frying if there is nothing else at the moment: for example, olive oil, which is monounsaturated, that is, it is also susceptible to oxidation when heated, but not as much as sunflower oil.
Avocado
Avocado has a significant amount of fat: one fruit of the popular Haas variety contains about 20 g of it - this is about a third of the daily requirement.
At the same time, the fats contained in avocados are healthy. Therefore, you should not completely exclude it, you just need to control the quantity.
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Causes of extra pounds
During menstruation, women overeat and consume large amounts of high-calorie foods. You can gain excess weight during stressful situations and experiences. It is clear that you need to control yourself, but this is not always possible when you want something special and tasty.
During what periods, even low-calorie foods can lead to fat deposition:
- Often, people wait until the diet ends so they can eat their favorite treats. However, after the diet, if you overeat again, the kilograms will return in a short period.
- Many people gain extra pounds during the holidays when the table is filled with a variety of goodies. Such food is not only high in calories, but also harmful to our body.
- A strong feeling of hunger occurs after parting with a loved one.
- Women gain weight during pregnancy. After all, during this period it doesn’t matter what foods make you fat, the main thing is to satisfy the needs inside the growing baby.
- While the food is cooking, housewives can eat to their heart's content, which is where the extra pounds come from.
How to turn something harmful into something useful
- Be sure to count calories. You can lose weight with any set of foods, as long as you follow the calorie content. True, portions of high-calorie food will be several times smaller than dietary ones, but you won’t have to radically change your taste preferences.
- Instead of mayonnaise, use 15% sour cream, kefir for weight loss or natural yogurt.
- It is recommended to fry food in a non-stick frying pan. In this case, you do not need to add oil or fat.
- When preparing, use boiling, stewing, baking or steaming.
- Prepare your own drinks (smoothies, Sassi water, detox water, weight loss drinks - the choice is huge).
- Prepare semi-finished products yourself (replace pork with chicken and turkey, mayonnaise with yogurt, white bread with whole grain bread)
- Look for an alternative. Any product or dish can be replaced with a less calorie and more healthy analogue.
To avoid gaining excess weight, eat low-calorie foods. These include vegetables and fruits, cereals, dried fruits, chicken fillet, fish. It is recommended to consume baked vegetables, as they retain the most useful and nutritious substances.
Rules for proper nutrition
Red wine is also a high-calorie food; it should not be consumed in excess. Fruits, on the contrary, are low-calorie, but you shouldn’t eat kilograms of them in one day. To lose weight, eat in moderation and at certain times. Doing sports, aerobics or step aerobics will allow you to achieve better results. You can reduce your appetite and hunger by eating a few almonds.
Sometimes you really want to treat yourself to sweets. Often these are the very foods that make you fat. You cannot completely abandon them; it is important to create the right menu so that the food is healthy and varied, since they contain useful essential microelements that are so necessary for the body.
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