Sugar manufacturers told us that eating fat was bad in the 1960s and 1970s. They avoided mentioning the fact that your body must have certain fats for you to survive. Essential fatty acids are one example of fats you need to be healthy.
“Big Sugar” spent tons of money saying that fat was bad for you and sugar was part of a healthy diet. Lookup old ads, and you’ll see things such as using sugar to curb appetite, lose weight, and many other things that we now know aren’t true. In the decades since, several reports have been brought to light that shows how food manufacturers and sugar producers knowingly lied about the devastatingly bad effect sugar has on human health and well-being. In some cases, scientists were paid to misreport test results and research, all in pursuit of the almighty dollar. In the meanwhile, fat became their scapegoat.
We know now that there are healthy fats and unhealthy fats, and that not all fats are evil.
Some fats promote overweight and obesity, while others actually help improve your health. One fat may make your heart healthy, while another fat can increase your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Some fats raise your risk of becoming diabetic, and other fats don’t need to be avoided.
Let’s look at the “good” and “bad” fats you need to familiarize yourself with so you know what you should and should not be eating to combat diabetes.
• Good Fats – These are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, such as those found in plant oils like extra virgin olive oil and even sunflower oil. Nuts, avocados, salmon, mackerel and other fish, flaxseeds, and soybeans all contain good fats.
• Bad Fats – These are saturated, hydrogenated, and trans fats and are found in cream, cheese, and butter. They are often present in processed meat products like deli meats and are ever-present in fast food, baked goods, highly processed foods, margarine, and palm oil. Read your food labels and avoid foods and beverages that list saturated, hydrogenated or trans fats as ingredients.
One way to automatically consume good fats and avoid bad fats is to enjoy a plant-based diet.
People with diabetes that eat predominantly unprocessed and minimally processed fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds will immediately limit the amount of unhealthy fat that enters their bodies. We should mention that if you eat too much of any kind of fat, you are not going to help your health. The good fats we just mentioned should be eaten in moderation, and you should strictly limit or totally remove bad fats from your diet.