Punching the History of Fat in the Face…
In early 80’s, there was a new surge in low fat products. Mainstream marketing campaigns started educating the masses that they should avoid fat and where possible opt for the (sugar loaded) fat free products.
This wave of “low fat” non-sense swept western countries like a disease. Australia was not far behind America in catching on to this craze that still does not seem to have died.
But the fat free vs. full fat debate goes as far back as the 1860’s (perhaps even farther). It all started with a fellow who was becoming deaf, blind and fat: William Banting.
William was obese and upon a visit to the local ear, nose and throat doctor, he learnt his obesity was costing him a lot more: it was the cause behind the onset deafness and blindness. The doctor (Dr William Harvey) advised him to ‘abstain’ from all sugar and starch. In one year, William lost 46 pounds and 12 ¼ inches from his waist.
This success inspired Mr Banting to write the first ever mainstream, low carbohydrate plan. It was called “Letter on Corpulence”.
Banting’s letter soon became the centre of bitter controversy. Banting was not a “qualified medical practitioner” and because of this, the medical establishment felt the need to tear him down and discredit the letter as a “commoner’s” advice to the public. Banting’s paper was criticised on the grounds that it was “unscientific”.
So now we get the Frankenstein food pyramid instead, which is purely based on the wheat and grain industry making money.
But I Digress…
The first thing I have to say is eating fat doesn’t make you fat provided it comes from a natural source. The consumption of natural fats has been a part of a healthy diet predating back to before modern civilisation.
In fact, we now know that the human brain evolved on an Omega 3 rich diet. Cultures that were lacking Omega 3’s were “dumber” than cultures that consumed Omega 3 rich diets. This can be sited through anthropology texts and is often referred to as either “the stone age diet”, “caveman diet”, “hunter-gatherer diet” or the “paleo / paleolithic diet”.
Canadian anthropologist Vilhjalmur Stefansson is famous for his expedition with the Eskimos for many years. He too was brainwashed that if he ate too much fat he would become ill. On expedition between 1908 and 1919 he recorded:
“Eskimos, when still on their home meats, are never corpulent – at least, I have seen none who were. Eskimos in their native garments do give the impression of fat, round faces on fat round bodies, but the roundness of face is a racial factor and the rest of the effect is produced by loose puffy garments. See them stripped, and one does not find the abdominal folds which are so evident on Coney Island beach and so persuasive makes an argument against nudism.”
Weston Price, in his master piece, Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, not only shows that a natural, high protein, high fat diet is essential for healthy teeth, but also says it was essential for the cultures to be “man-made” disease free.
So Why Am I Scared of Fat?
The word “FAT” is the single most powerful marketing word in all of health and fitness next to Sex. Today, with all the technologic and scientific advancements, society on a whole is scared to eat fat. Trans and processed fats should be avoided at all costs, however saturated and monounsaturated fats have a place in every balanced diet.
Unfortunately, most (if not all) of mainstream nutrition needs to be discarded. Mainstream nutrition is auctioned off to the highest bidder be it Monsanto, Nestle, Coke, Pepsi or fast food chains; they control what you see on T.V and magazines.
Why?
Because they have the money! Billions (yes, with a B!) are spent each year on advertising and making their products sell.
Maybe I’m the bearer of bad news but it’s about time you heard it!
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a prime example of this. The FDA is designed to screen products and keep the public safe. However, the companies that the FDA is supposed to be regulating are the ones who fund the FDA. So in other words, it’s a fox guarding a hen’s house.
Mainstream nutrition created the ridiculous food pyramid which recommends having the majority of your calories come from refined or processed carbohydrates, such as wheat and wheat products. There are only a small percentage of people who have the genetics to eat what the food pyramid outlines and not become fat. Again, if you ask me this pyramid was designed with profits, not health, in mind.
I believe the food pyramid has played a factor in making people fat-phobic. It bears repeating, eating natural fats (example, animal fats, or butter) doesn’t make you fat provided you don’t have excessive refined carbohydrate intake (e.g. sugar).
It also bears mentioning that there is no such thing as an essential carbohydrate yet the food pyramid advises people to consume the majority of their calories from something that is scientifically non-essential.
On the flip side, there is such a thing as essential fat. Understanding the significance of this makes you wonder why the food pyramid was ever created. Maybe you are starting to understand it really was a clever marketing campaign put up by the wheat industry.
Marketing campaigns aside, fats are often discussed as either good or bad fats. Good fats NEED to be included in diets as they play many roles in helping the body function at its optimal. These include reducing inflammation in joints and aiding in brain function. Good fats are things like nuts (raw and organic), animal fats, avocado and butter.
Bad fats are easy to explain. These are processed fats, also known as “Trans Fats”. Trans fats need to be completely eradicated from your diet for good! Bad fats are things like margarine, canola oil, vegetable oils and hydrogenated oils.
Should we also be avoiding cold pressed olive oil?
Cold press olive oil is good; butter and coconut oil are brilliant. Transfats are to be eliminated