Fat and sugar consumption Good or bad?

But in recent times it seems that the omelette has been turned, and now fats seem not to be so harmful, and on the contrary, sugars are increasingly persecuted. What is the reason for this change? Now fats are good and sugars are the devil? Let's see different characteristics and recommendations of each other.

Fat intake

Caloric content

The caloric content of fat is 9 Kcal per gram of fat, which does not mean 9 Kcal per food rich in fat, unless we are talking about oils or butters that are practically pure fats. The rest of foods, even if they are fatty foods, contain a few grams of fat and the rest are other nutrients, water, fiber, etc.

Nutritional definition

When we say fats we speak in the plural, precisely because we do not speak of a single substance but of different types of substances which are chemically fatty acids and glycerol that give rise to what we know as monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and saturated fats.

Fat-containing foods

The foods with the highest fat content are oils of different kinds (olive, sunflower, soybean, rapeseed ...), butter, sauces such as mayonnaise, aioli, béarnaise sauce, vinaigrettes with a good part of oil, etc., fatty animal products such as bacon, sobrasada, chistorra, foie gras, and vegetables naturally rich in fatty acids, coconut, sunflower seeds, sesame, nuts ...

Types of fats

We are talking about the products with the highest fat content, but what kind of fat? While in the case of polyunsaturated fats, the top positions on the list are occupied by the oils of seeds, nuts, etc. and the seeds themselves (sesame, sunflower seeds, walnuts, almonds ...).

The saturated list begins with the Butter, followed by products such as butter, bacon, coconut, fatty sausages, cream ... On the other hand, in the list of monounsaturated fats we can highlight olive oil, hazelnuts and almonds, aioli and mayonnaise ...

Recommendations on the consumption of fats

Rather, the recommendation on fat consumption is directed at fatty foods and different recommendations on the consumption of certain types of fat. To date, the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasize that “reduce total fat consumption by less than 30% of caloric intake daily helps prevent weight gain in the adult population ”.

And they add that "the risk of developing non-communicable diseases decreases by reducing the consumption of saturated fats to less than 10% of the daily caloric intake, and of trans fats to less than 1%, and by substituting those fats for fats not saturated ”.

Conclusions.

Thus, it must balance the diet so that your total intake It is not excessive, but without a doubt what we should focus on is to avoid as much as possible the consumption of trans fats, which are found in processed products such as pre-cooked dishes, sachet soups, bakery products and industrial pastries, margarines, etc. . Also under the name of hydrogenated fats.

We will also limit the consumption of saturated fats, which, as we have seen, are mainly found in products such as lard, butter, bacon, cured cheeses, coconut, cream, margarine, puff pastry, fatty sausages, chocolate, etc.

Sugar consumption

Caloric content

The energy value of sugars is 4 Kcal per gram of sugars. As we have mentioned with fats, the only products that are practically sugars in themselves, and nothing else, are sugar, both white and brown, or other types, such as honey, molasses, syrups and glucose syrups, etc.

Nutritional definition

When we are talking about sugars we mean monosaccharides or, what is the same, simple carbohydrates (fructose, glucose and galactose). from dairy products, fruit, simple sugar and the immense variety of processed products that contain them, as we saw in the article "Where are sugars".

Foods that contain sugars

The foods with the highest sugar content are the sugar itself, white or brown, fructose, candies and gum, breakfast cereals, processed products based on soluble cocoa (not pure cocoa), cookies, gingerbreads, etc., and other sweets such as meringue.

Types of sugars

In addition to the products that we have discussed, we also find a not inconsiderable amount of sugar in dried fruits, since by losing a large part of the water the sugar concentration is higher. , raisins, dried figs, etc. They contain sugars, but it is preferable that we take sugars with these products, where the sugar is found in its food matrix, surrounded by fibers and which will be absorbed more slowly, than in a processed product.

Conclusions.

Despite the need to limit the consumption of total sugars, it should be clear that what is necessary avoid is the intake of processed foods that generally contain sugars in their preparation: breakfast cereals, cookies, pastries, certain yogurts, etc. It is necessary to check the labels, especially the ingredient list to identify the incorporation of sugars.

On the other hand, we must try to do without added sugars (sugar, honey, syrups, etc.), gradually accustoming the palate to the natural flavor of food. Although it contains sugars naturally, fresh fruit is part of a balanced diet and we should not limit it.

• What is limited at the sugar level are the simple sugars themselves, in the form of sugar or the one we take through processed products.
• The total fat intake must be adjusted according to each person, but what we must limit is the intake of saturated fats and especially of trans fats.
• Both the sugars that we take when eating fruits, as well as the fats that we ingest when taking nuts and oils are still recommended in a balanced diet.

Bachelor of Food Science and Technology Diploma in Human Nutrition and Dietetics