Sugar and Fat, Are They Good or Bad?

In today’s society advertising seems to tell us to stay away from two things, sugar and fat. And why is this? There are scientific reasons to stay away from these ingredients, however they are also needed to survive, so let’s take a look at these two categories in greater depth.

Sugar. Sweet, sweet sugar. Some of us can’t help but pick up that candy bar while in the checkout line. Others avoid it like the plague. Why is this? Your brain feeds on sugar, it makes you feel excited and joyful, it tastes sweet and you just want more. Sugar is essentially an addiction. The problem is that there are GOOD sugars, so we can’t entirely avoid them. Refined sugars are the bad ones. Sugar in processed foods, cereals, candy bars, soda. They are nothing but empty calories, causing diabetes, obesity and a number of other health concerns. But natural sweeteners such as honey and maple syrup, as well as fruits, those are nature’s sweeteners, not made in a factory, created by man or refined. Regardless they should be consumed in moderation, but your body will process natural sugars best.

Bottom line: When it comes to sugar avoid refined processed sugars, replace it with natural options such as honey and maple syrup, consuming it in moderation. (Fresh fruit juices can also be used as sweeteners in many recipes and smoothies.)

How about fat? How many products do you see that say “fat free” and “low fat”? We are obsessed with cutting the fat out of our diets, thinking it will make us skinnier. (Heads up, it won’t!) This is a concern, the human body needs fat to survive, if we cut it out, we alter the diet to an extreme. Similar to sugar fat also comes from two areas, both good and bad. Bad fats come from products such as oils, deep fried foods, fast foods, meats that have high fat contents that turn into grease, etc. These are the fats to avoid. There are also good fats; avocados, cashews, almonds, eggs, lean meats like chicken, turkey and fish that have little to no fat.

Fat sometimes translates into protein, we are obsessed with getting enough protein in our diets. Good proteins are those mentioned above as good fats, while bad proteins often come from meats with too much fat, cooked with grease. The general public does not realize that we get enough protein in our regular daily diets, we don’t need to intentionally add in more, unless you are deficient or have a very active lifestyle.

Bottom line: When it comes to fat, avoid deep fried foods, saturated fats, and oils. Eat lean meats, salmon, nuts, seeds, and eggs while not being concerned over adding in excessive amounts of protein to your diet.

When it comes to eating sugars and fats there are a lot of do’s and don’ts found online, in magazines, in media, etc. Follow the basic rules, if it was created in a factory and doesn’t occur naturally, it’s probably not best.