A recent article on the Harvard School of Public Health’s web page looked at the results of the change in America’s diet from the sixties to the present day. The article suggests that a low fat diet leading to better health has become a myth that needs to be debunked.
The facts are that in the sixties Americans received 45% of their calories in the form of fats and oils. During this time only 13% of Americans were obese and less than 1% had type 2 diabetes. After decades of eating foods lower in fats (only 33% of calories now taken in are from these sources) 34% of Americans are now diagnosed as obese and 11% have diabetes.
The article explains that sugars and refined carbohydrates are now being added to “fat-free” foods to make them more flavorful. It is the author’s contention that these ‘fast carbs” are more harmful to heart health than ingesting foods higher in fats. He also suggests that the lack of “good fats’ among other nutrients that is one of the culprits in our lack of better health from consuming foods that are lower in fat.
The good, healthy fats referenced in the article that are missing from many low fat diets are readily found in our favorite all natural snack, the almond. Visit our website today to order some delicious flavored almond snacks as a healthy alternative to those “low fat”, “fast carb” infused products.
