Label Reading Quiz for the Day:
Question: How can 'Light Butter" be advertised as 50% less fat than butter and STILL be 100% fat?
Answer: When the manufacturer has partially replaced butterfat with oils, additives and preservatives.
But make no mistake.....this product is still 100% pure FAT. Manufacturers use marketing practices such as this to make a product appear "healthy", and the unsuspecting public usually buys into it.
How can you tell how much FAT is in a product? Here's the key:
Compare the CALORIES against the CALORIES FROM FAT. In the example of the "light butter", you'll see that 1 Tablespoon has 50 calories. The Calories from Fat are also 50. That means that that all calories are fat calories - in other words, the percentage of calories that are from 'fat' equals 100%. This product is 100% fat.
If the calories were 50 and the calories from fat were 10, the product would then be 20% fat (10 divided by 50 = 20%). Or, you can quickly figure out that 10% of the calories (50) would be 5; therefore, 20% of the calories would be 10. It may seem complicated but it's easy to figure out once you do it a few times.
Why is it important to know how much FAT is in a product? As Dr. McDougall says, "the fat you eat is the fat you wear". It doesn't matter the source of the fat.....fat is fat.
Immediately after consuming one high-fat meal, your triglyceride levels (a measurement of fat in the bloodstream) are rising. Cholesterol levels are increasing and contributing to plaque formation, and clotting factors in the blood have been activated.
Two hours later, your triglycerides have increased by 60 percent, and your blood flow has decreased by half. Three hours later, the lining of your arteries has lost elasticity - impeding blood flow - and blood vessel function has become abnormal. Four hours later your blood has gotten thicker, flowing even slower than it was 2 hours ago. Five hours later, your triglyceride levels have now increased by 150 percent. Six hours later, the anti-inflammatory effect of “good” cholesterol has been significantly compromised.
Consuming high-fat and saturated fat foods over days, weeks, months and years promotes the continuous buildup of plaque in the arteries and reduces blood flow even further. The decreased blood flow leads to decreased oxygen supply (which can lead to a heart attack), and also increases the risk of developing fatty liver disease, type 2 diabetes, inflammation, certain cancers, and a long list of other diet related diseases.
Fat intake should ideally be around 10% of daily calories. Plants have all the fat we need, and there's no need to seek out oils (which are very health damaging) or products with added oils. And of course, all animal sources of fat should be avoided (including fatty fish, fatty chicken, and even "light butter").
Review the "Plan A" diet food pyramid on our website for an overview of the healthiest foods.