Eating a healthy diet can help prevent certain conditions, such as diabetes, obesity and coronary diseases. To avoid developing these types of conditions, you need to limit certain items in your diet, such as sugar and fat. Even though you should avoid some types of fat and sugar, some types are part of a healthy diet.
Good and Bad Fats
Some fats are healthy, such as the types that come from fish, plants, seeds and nuts. These include oils such as olive oil, sunflower oil and peanut oil. They're healthy because they consist of either monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat or omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids may help reduce the risk of developing coronary artery disease, protect against irregular heartbeats and possibly lower blood pressure. Bad fats come from animal fat, animal products and lard and can clog your arteries and blood vessels, resulting in heart attack or stroke. Bad fats also typically raise your cholesterol and increase your risk of heart disease. Bad fats include dietary cholesterol, trans fats and saturated fats.
Good and Bad Sugar
Good sugars are sugars that are naturally present, such sugar in apples, grapes, oranges and cherries. Added sugar is not good. Sugar that has been added to a food has been processed and refined only adds the sweet taste of empty calories. Empty calories are calories that don't fill you up, leaving you hungry and craving more sugar. In foods with natural sugar, such as fruits, you also get other nutrients, such as fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Combining Good Fat and Sugar
It is possible to maintain a healthy diet while eating fats and sugars, as long as you're eating the right kind. It's completely healthy to cook in natural plant-based oils, such as cottonseed oil or olive oil and snack on fruits that have natural sugars. It's not healthy to cook in bad fats, such as butter or margarine, and sip soda after soda. Following this type of diet will lead you down the path of unhealthy habits and conditions, such as obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
What to Avoid
Avoiding bad fats and sugars can help keep your weight under control and keep your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar within healthy ranges. Avoid processed foods, such as cookies, cakes, pies and drinks with added sugars. Avoid foods with bad fats, such as egg yolks, potato chips, greasy hamburgers covered with cheese and french fries. These types of foods contain either added sugars or unhealthy fats.
References
- FamilyDoctor.org: What it Takes to Lose Weight; December 2010
- TeensHealth: Figuring Out Fat and Calories; May 2009
- U.S. Department of Health and Social Services: Dietary Guidelines: Choose Sensibly
- KidsHealth: Go, Slow and Whoa!; February 2009
- MayoClinic.com: Dietary Fats: Know Which Types to Choose; Jan. 31, 2009
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