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Is Opting For Fats Instead Of Carbohydrates A Healthier Option?

Find out how healthy fats and carbohydrates impact your health, here.

By Chandana Rao

The minute we think of fat-rich foods, pizzas, fries, chocolates, donuts and other such delicious unhealthy things come to our mind, right?

But we have been taught by our elders, the media, health experts, etc., consuming fats is supposedly a sin!

So, every time we get tempted to consume a lot of tasty, yet unhealthy fats, we tend to either give in to the desire and feel extremely guilty about it later.

Or, exercise some self-control and deny ourselves the chance to eat our favourite snacks!

fats health benefits

Whatever the action we take, when it comes to consuming fats, there is one mistake that many of us could be making, which is, not knowing the difference between healthy fats and unhealthy fats!

Yes, many of us tend to think that any food which contains fat is unhealthy and so, if we are health-conscious, we avoid all forms of fat, including the healthy ones, thus denying our body of this very important nutrient!

As we know, for a human body to remain healthy for a longer time, a balanced diet, in the right quantities is required.

Now, a balanced diet has to include carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, fibre and water in equal ratios, on a daily basis.

Even if one of these nutrients are not taken in sufficient quantities, it could lead to a number of health problems.

fats health benefits

So, when people avoid healthy fats, thinking that they may cause weight gain or high cholesterol, they could be depriving their body of this nutrient, thus exposing themselves to ill-health.

Now, there are many nutrition myths out there which state that consuming carbohydrates instead of fats is a healthier options.

For example, a lot of times, we see people skipping a ghee and reaching for bread instead.

Let us find out if healthy fats are a better option than carbohydrates, when it comes to health.

Healthy Fats Vs Carbohydrates
We previously read that we require a balanced diet to remain healthy, right?

So, both carbohydrates and healthy fats are very much necessary for health.

fats health benefits

However, consuming a diet rich in high-carbohydrate content can lead to a number of health problems, is what experts say.

For example, consuming healthy fats like avocados, coconut, ghee, nuts, etc., can improve your health.

However, replacing healthy fats with carbohydrates like bread, even if it is brown bread, rice, etc., is not advisable.

According to a study conducted by the University of Ontario, researchers studied the diet habits of more than 1,35,000 people from 18 different countries, aged between 18 to 70 years.

The team of researchers stated that according to their studies, it was found that people who consume more carbohydrates, instead of healthy fats, were more at risk of developing high cholesterol and stroke, as carbohydrates are high in gluten content.

And it was also noted that people who included enough healthy fats in their daily diet, such major diseases were less common.

In conclusion, opting for healthy fats instead of more carbohydrates is good for health.

Story first published: Friday, September 15, 2017, 12:16 [IST]
Read more about: carbohydrates foods