NHS healthy food guidelines - confusion

[beatrixpotterspencil]

And it isn't just the NHS, there are countless health bodies throughout the western world who still believe we ought to choose trans fatty oils in margarine over butter.
As far as I am aware, margarine has long since been considered a franken-food, yet the NHS is still advising diabetics and those with cardiovascular disease to swap butter for marg, meat for white bread and full fat yogurt for the reduced fat, sugar filled monstrosities.

I am 48, very slim and eat butter, virgin olive oil, meat (usually poultry or fish), full fat yogurt, avocado, cheese, cream, greek yogurt, olives, stuff that is going to kill me apparently since reading about saturated fats on the NHS last night.

I thought the saturated fat = bad cholesterol had been debunked, but according to most health bodies, recent research still posits it as a major contributor to cardiovascular disease and diabetes. It seemed odd to choose to choose a low fat, processed alternative to an already 'healthy' food? (yogurt). So my natural Greek stuff is inferior to a sugar stuffed muller light?

I'm one of those spectacular wankers who makes their own pesto
I must definitely be unreasonable!
So I am well and truly one foot in the grave according to the health service.
When looking for their suggested alternatives to sat fats, most of the recommendations were for white, sugary breads and cereals. It is apparently better for me to chuck down a ton of rice crispies than some microwaved scrambled egg with a splash of milk.

Is this confusing anyone else? My family tended to eat similarly to me and were always healthy/slim. Perhaps it is just genetic luck and we have been juggling with an early death

I don't read a lot about nutrition, but do love cooking and following tasty recipes, so was surprised to read this. Over the years, and especially on MN I have picked up some great ideas and wasn't aware that people were still pushing hydrogenated oils as healthy.
And if they are not, why the heck are so many health bodies promoting it?
Even my own GP said my diet was excellent. I am confused!

@beatrixpotterspencil

So is there any evidence that sponsorship or something similar is at the root of it all? Someone above mentions Flora marg sponsoring her diet sheet from doctor.

I know this often occurs with pharmaceuticals, would love to know how much corporate/profit lies behind this.

There's a documentary on YouTube about the corn companies in America and their influence on diet and the reasons behind it (nothing good). I can't remember the name though so I'll look uit up later, if someone hasn't suggested it already (I'll rtft after my bootcamp class now).

The trans fats that are so controversial in margarines are actually not present in most spreads/ margarines in the UK.

It's a common misconception.

You are perfectly fine with the majority of margarines and spreads in the UK. This information relates more to the USA.

In what way are you confused? You have what you see as a healthy diet, you’re happy with it, you’re happy with your weight.

What was concerning you that made you look up official diet guidelines?

What an odd thing to have spent so much thought on.

This is official government advice, @MissTrip82 - and it doesn't sound healthy or sensible at all - but people who don't know as much about healthy eating will be following it because they think government advice is reliable. Isn't that an important thing to think about?

@SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius

This is official government advice, *@MissTrip82* - and it doesn't sound healthy or sensible at all - but people who don't know as much about healthy eating will be following it because they think government advice is reliable. Isn't that an important thing to think about?

The government guidance is CICO, eating lower calorie foods will achieve this.

I suspect that a lot of the advice at reducing saturated fats is aimed at people who eat lots of processed foods and barely touch fruit, vegetables and whole grains. For those people, they probably are better switching to lower fat versions. So many people are unable or unwilling to cook.

The problem is, that it means that people are put off or told off for eating proper, real foods like butter, whole milk, meat and coconut oil that contain saturated fats. Plus people avoid things like avocados and salmon as they are high in fat, or avoid eggs and prawns because they contain cholesterol.

I think a lot of the rise in obesity is linked to people cooking less, buying more processed foods and eating out more. People are time poor and want tasty food quickly. When you don't make the food you can't see what goes into it and they add more fat/sugar/salt/preservatives/colourings to make it taste good/look good/last longer. In the 1970s people would have rarely eaten out or bought processed foods. Now people will eat out or have takeaways multiple times a week (sometimes multiple times a day!), plus everyone seems to snack around the clock.

We need more time to allow people to cook proper meals and do more exercise. Plus more support for people with less money to buy healthy foods and have fuel to cook them.

YANBU

Interestingly I actually did an experiment some years ago. My dsis always struggled with her weight, I didn't, have always been slim.
I ate a diet of full fat milk, dairy, greek yoghurt, and mostly home cooked fresh foods, meat, fish, pasta, rice, veg etc so limited jarred stuff/processed stuff. with the odd take away thrown in. I drank wine, beer (normal amounts). You get the idea.
Dsis, struggling with weight always had everything 'low fat', skimmed milk, low fat dairy, but also processed food, like jar sauces (again though alot of the 'healthier' ones).
And I said to her maybe its the stuff you're eating. she would have none of it. Me being stubborn decided to test my theory and I spent 6 months following her low fat, zero sugar, processed food diet.
I gained 2 stone. Which I had never done in my life! But more importantly I felt rubbish, I felt unmotivated, lethargic and actually a bit down. Maybe that lethargy caused the weight gain? Who knows. But it was a direct result of the food. And I wasn't binging on rubbish so to speak, this was all stuff considered 'normal'
Went back on my regular diet, within 3 months I'd lost the 2 stone. And felt more like myself again.

I think what they put in stuff to replace the 'fat' is just chemical shite. Not necessarily that which caused the weight gain, but it certainly had a huge effect on my overall health.
I can't understand why they promote it.

@Bookworm20

YANBU

Interestingly I actually did an experiment some years ago. My dsis always struggled with her weight, I didn't, have always been slim.
I ate a diet of full fat milk, dairy, greek yoghurt, and mostly home cooked fresh foods, meat, fish, pasta, rice, veg etc so limited jarred stuff/processed stuff. with the odd take away thrown in. I drank wine, beer (normal amounts). You get the idea.
Dsis, struggling with weight always had everything 'low fat', skimmed milk, low fat dairy, but also processed food, like jar sauces (again though alot of the 'healthier' ones).
And I said to her maybe its the stuff you're eating. she would have none of it. Me being stubborn decided to test my theory and I spent 6 months following her low fat, zero sugar, processed food diet.
I gained 2 stone. Which I had never done in my life! But more importantly I felt rubbish, I felt unmotivated, lethargic and actually a bit down. Maybe that lethargy caused the weight gain? Who knows. But it was a direct result of the food. And I wasn't binging on rubbish so to speak, this was all stuff considered 'normal'
Went back on my regular diet, within 3 months I'd lost the 2 stone. And felt more like myself again.

I think what they put in stuff to replace the 'fat' is just chemical shite. Not necessarily that which caused the weight gain, but it certainly had a huge effect on my overall health.
I can't understand why they promote it.

Did she listen to you then?

@Juniper68

Nope. She was too fearful of eating something 'full fat'.
Shes still dieting, years on, and getting no where.

@Bookworm20 that's interesting. I certainly notice that I feel crap when I eat more processed food, just really lethargic and woolly headed, I put it down to my blood sugar being all over the place.

DH struggles with his weight, but he eats a mostly processed food diet and believes in all the low fat crap (he's obsessed with bloody popchips and thinks they are healthy as it says so on the pack ). He says he can't eat fruit/veg/beans/lentils etc due to his IBS, yet his stomach is worse than ever even though he's cut it almost all out. I've given up, I can't control how he eats, I can just try to cook as healthily as possible and watch him pick all the healthy bits out...

@perenniallymessy
Yes, doing that really opened my eyes. I was really shocked. And after the 6 months I just wet back to normal, no 'dieting' as such, just eating what I had before and lost the weight without trying.

We are now a household which has butter, full fat milk, I cook properly, as do the dc. We use the occasional shortcut when time is short, and do have the occasional take away, but all in moderation. I have 5 dc. All are slim and healthy. All grew up with this type of diet. I buy nothing at all that says low fat or no sugar or 'diet' unless it is naturally low fat iyswim.

On the back of this I get the 5 a day from NHS. When I was a child growing up in 1970s - you didn't get 5 a day. Apples, oranges, bananas were there if they were bought - my DM did buy them. We picked blackberries when in season and had e.g. cherries, grapes and strawberries usually bought when in season too and melon etc.

There was certainly no or less buying of fruit out of season.

We had an apple tree when I was a child and I recall my DM picking and bottling them (stewed) and then using this for pies, crumbles etc throughout autumn/winter.

When skimmed milk became popular (late 1980s?) my DM bought it and for some reason I've bought it ever since. I only ever had full fat or semi skimmed milk at work or friends/relatives houses and if I do taste full fat milk now it tastes very full fat!

Are they really advocating margarine? Given that it has been banned in the UK, they are surprisingly out of touch.

The spreads that are currently sold are all under 80% fat (the threshold for something to be classed as margarine is 80-90% fat)

I've mentioned this book on another thread recently. It explains recent findings in nutrition research, filters out those that are funded by interested parties, and concludes that the Mediterranean diet is the best one for overall health and avoidance of age-related conditions. I find the principles really easy to follow. I was far from overweight before, but very quickly lost "vanity pounds" without being hungry.

And OP, it's exactly the diet you describe.

Okinawa island, Japan.... I suspect their longevity is is down to a lack of stress though, which I am fairly convinced is a killer.

Okinawa? THIS Okinawa?

"These days, Okinawa has a higher prevalence of obesity and higher mortality rates among 40-65 years-old than mainland Japan. "

[quote Bookworm20]@Juniper68

Nope. She was too fearful of eating something 'full fat'.
Shes still dieting, years on, and getting no where.[/quote]
It's madness.

It takes a while for evidence to be adopted into practise. Things don't just change overnight. Medical consensus is therefore behind for the most part. You have to make your own decisions and all the information is out there via the internet. You can't just blindly take guidance from a body that is unable to adapt quickly not to mention corrupt.

@lljkk

Okinawa island, Japan.... I suspect their longevity is is down to a lack of stress though, which I am fairly convinced is a killer.

Okinawa? THIS Okinawa?

"These days, Okinawa has a higher prevalence of obesity and higher mortality rates among 40-65 years-old than mainland Japan. "

Well yes,that's the point - the older inhabitants eat a traditional diet and live significantly longer and healthier lives whilst the younger ones embraced the American diet that became available since the US occupation of the island post WWII. With the corresponding obesity and mortality rates after so many years with it being available.