FAT vs. SUGAR - The fat side of the story.

By Hannah Thompson

It’s one of the most talked about health topics of the century, however it is a subject that still seems to hit the headlines.  We’re talking about the ‘Fat vs. Sugar’ debate that is becoming incredibly heated as obesity levels in the United Kingdom hit an all time high.  

Diets can fashionably fluctuate, just as much as a person’s weight. One minute it’s no carbs, the next it’s a sugar free diet consisting of cabbage soup (and not much else) and then we have the low fat, low everything diet. The problem is… which of them is the best for us?

Aveen Bannon, qualified nutritionist, believes that “there's no such thing as a good or bad food...only a good or bad diet,” and that “the low fat phenomenon of the 80's & 90's resulted in people taking all fats out of our diets.” This, she says, encouraged an increase in the sugar levels in the foods we eat, which “ could easily be the reason behind the current obesity epidemic the UK now faces.”

Nutritionists and dieticians have never been busier, it seems that education regarding good fats and foods has never been more sort after and it’s down to professionals like Aveen to encourage balance in the British diet. “Fats are high in calories, however it’s the ‘good fats’ that our bodies need. Fats that come from nuts, olive oil, rapeseed oil and avocados are good within reason, but too much of anyone thing is never good.”

It seems that the problem, particularly in Britain, is that we all have “calorie rich, nutrient poor” diets which need to be overhauled; instead of constantly focusing on the foods we shouldn’t eat, we should be concentrating on choosing quality protein foods which provide us with suitable, healthy fats.

Sugar is coming off to be the evil-est of the two evils, as science reveals that sugar turns to fat almost instantly in the body unless it’s being used for  energy, which usually only occurs from physical activity. Too much sugar and not enough exercise unfortunately for us makes us fat.   

“There is no doubt in my mind that excess sugar intake along with a lack of physical activity is a major culprit for obesity,” says Aveen who reminds us that we should never starve our bodies of carbohydrates as, but sugars need to be considered in “complete moderation.”

Anne Betty, who is a British registered nutritionist has similar views to those of Aveen’s. She’s also flying the ‘good fats’ flag saying that “there is so much conflicting information available that deciding on a healthy diet can be confusing” but, she adds that if you stick to good quality, unprocessed foods, you’ll live a healthier lifestyle.

Sugar, which has been described as ‘the white poison’ and ‘the silent killer’, is extraordinarily bad for your heart and also (annoyingly) promotes belly fat! So some advice: put that sugary elevenses snack down, ditch the sugar – you’re sweet enough!  

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