Is a Low Fat Diet Right For You?

For years we have seen the food industry promote low fat, less fat and reduced fat products. Society has bought in to the idea that these lower fat products will help us lose weight. Well, how has that been working for you - for most it isn't.

It's simple, low fat or no fat doesn't mean you will lose weight. To understand why you just need to look at a few things.

First consider your body must process the food you eat. Most foods contain carbohydrates. Your body breaks down carbohydrates into sugar, that is the major source of energy.

Previously doctors believed that the simpler the sugar the faster it absorbed into the blood stream and the quicker one's blood sugar would rise. Over the past 20 years research has shown that theory was wrong.

Foods like white bread, white rice and pasta are highly processed carbohydrates and release their sugar faster than table sugar. Foods like most vegetables and fruits release their sugar slower and are considered low-glycemic.

The glycemic index is based on how fast sugars are released into your blood stream. The faster sugars are released - the higher the index number.

Foods that release sugar slowly keep blood sugars from spiking, which is a good thing.

Why is avoiding blood sugars from spiking important?

Some basics:

Your body releases insulin to handle excessive sugar on your blood system. If not used for energy it is converted into fat tissue.
Regularly eating sugary foods or processed carbs can cause your body to produce excessive insulin.
This excessive insulin production in time can cause insulin resistance.

Insulin in Your Blood System

Excessive insulin causes weight gain - since insulin promotes storing fat.
Lower levels of magnesium - magnesium promotes relaxed blood vessels and blood circulation.
Increased sodium retention - you retain more water - high blood pressure
Increased inflammatory compounds - damage blood vessels, blood clots, heart attacks.
Decreased HDL (good cholesterol), increased LDL (bad cholesterol) and increased triglycerides - increased risk of heart disease.
High cancer risk due to insulin's ability to contribute to cell proliferation.

Something You May Not Know

Table sugar (a simple sugar) is glucose and fructose. Corn syrup processed with heat, acid and enzymes will produce high fructose corn syrup (a complex sugar). High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is used in place of sugar as a sweetener and preservative. Why, because it is cheaper than sugar. HFCS may also cause you to gain weight as a Princeton University research team published this year - princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S26/91/22K07/index.xml?section=topstories Princeton article

There may be some foods that may actually cause you to eat more than you really want.

According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Nov. 2002 - Fructose doesn't stimulate insulin or leptin secretion, which signals the regulation of food intake. ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/76/5/911 read AJCN article

Low leptin concentrations would tend to enhance food intake because your brain thinks you still need more food.

Have you ever eaten more food than you really wanted to while drinking a diet soda? Maybe your brain thought you needed to keep eating.

More to come in future articles.

Jill is a contributor and knowledge resource for the web site Understand-Health.com where you can review information to help you understand and improve your health. understand-health.com Understand-Health.com. She also consults buyusananow.com BuyUsanaNow.com an online vitamin, diet and skin care independent distributor.