Low-fat diets are not really healthy

Depression "A diet that's too low in fat"especially essential fatty acids, which your body can only get from food"might hurt your mental health. Both omega-3s and omega-6s play roles in mood and behavior. They are the precursor to many hormones and chemicals produced in the brain. One study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders has linked low and abnormal essential fatty acid intake to depressive symptoms. Other research shows that, because fatty acids help to insulate nerve cells in the brain, allowing these nerve cells to better communicate with one another. People who are deficient in omega-3s may suffer from bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, eating disorders, and ADHD. "(1) By eating a low-fat diet you are depriving your body of essential omega 3"s that it need to keep the chemical flowing properly to your brain. Without them your brain can"t function how it is supposed to causing the diseases listed above. Increased Cancer Risk "Colon, breast, and prostate cancers have all been correlated with low intakes of essential fatty acids. Research has shown that a high intake of omega-3s slows prostate tumor and cancer cell growth, too. If your diet lacks healthy fats, you could be increasing your risk of cancer." (1) Cancer is a big issue these days so why would you not want to do everything you can to keep your body healthy and reduce the risk of getting sick? Low-Fat foods can make you fatter "Three recent studies done by the Food and Brand Lab found that putting low"fat labels on snack foods encouraged people to eat up to 50% more than those who saw labels without the low fat claim." (2) "Fat adds flavor and texture to food, which explains why foods that contain fat are so pleasing. When manufacturers remove fat from a product they often add back flavor using sugar. The problem is that added sugar means added carbohydrates, so even though a food is billed as low-fat it may well be higher in carbs than the original full-fat version. Excess carbohydrates not burned for energy get stored as fat, resulting in weight gain." (3) Foods that are higher in carbs make you gain weight faster than those that do not have as much. Based on the study listed above people tend to eat more of a certain food when they see that it is "low-fat", thus they actually eat more than they originally would have if they has bought the full fat version. They end up eating more calories and more sugar which makes you fatter and raises your blood sugar level. They are missing vital nutrients "Many low-fat products are processed and very low in several vitamins and minerals. This could lead to deficiencies in the body which, in turn, could lead to many other problems. Low-fat products are often fortified with vitamins and minerals but many of these need fat alongside them to be ingested or they simply won"t be absorbed into the body." (4) Taking the fat out of food also takes out vital nutrients that your body needs to survive. This means that your body is less likely to work as it should. Can"t fight off infection "Studies suggest that any bad fats ingested in the body are actually used for the very important role of fighting off any infection which tries to penetrate the body. A recent study has discovered that a small amount of saturated fat can actually be good for the body and people on a low-fat diet don"t have the means to repair their body if needed. This can lead to scarring and narrowing of the arteries which can eventually wind up as heart disease. Degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson"s have also been linked to a low-fat diet due to the body being repeatedly unable to fight off infection." (4) Eating fatty foods actually helps your body fight off infections that you may happen to come in contact with. With the body not able to fight off infections you are more susceptible to them because there is no way to fight it off. (1) http://www.sparkpeople.com... (2)http://www.foodpsychology.cornell.edu... (3)http://www.foxnews.com... (4)http://www.sheknows.co.uk...