If You Want To Slim, Reduce Eating Fat or Carbo?

Medical Video: 'Slow Carbs' and the Truth About Low-Carb Diets

Reducing fat and carbohydrate consumption is the most common way for people who want to adopt a healthy lifestyle or lose weight. Fats and carbohydrates are important nutrients in building the body, but if excessive they will become unhealthy. Likewise if the body lacks these two nutrients. Then which one is healthier between reducing fat or carbohydrate consumption?

Low fat consumption mechanism

Our habits of eating food will indirectly affect how our body adjusts storage and energy needs. Naturally, if there are nutrients that are lacking, the body responds like a feeling of weakness and wants to eat more, especially when you are on a low-fat diet or popular with the term ‘low-fat diet. '

Consumption of low fat means we cut the amount of fat intake by limiting the number of grams of fat in food. Everyone's fat intake needs are different, because everyone has their own consumption patterns and nutritional balance. A simple example is that if someone needs a lot of vitamin A, with a lack of consumption of fat the body will also experience limitations to absorb vitamin A from food, which is a fat-soluble vitamin. Not only to absorb vitamin A, fat is also needed for other physiological functions of the body.

At least for adults, adequate fat is obtained from 20-35% of daily intake. If normal consumption is 2000 calories per day, then it takes around 44 to 78 grams of fat per day. Even though reducing fat intake can help you lose weight quickly, this won't last long and won't be good for your health. Moreover, if you make a mistake by reducing fat but still consume a high intake of carbohydrates. In addition, the benefits of a low-fat diet tend to be few and less consistent, in contrast to a low-carbohydrate diet.

Why is it better to reduce carbohydrate intake?

Reducing carbohydrates is one of the most widely used diet strategies. This method is not only effective for weight loss but also has a positive impact on health even though you already have a healthy weight. Carbohydrates are nutrients found in many food ingredients such as plants, fruit, and milk. Carbohydrates are also divided into simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates. The type of carbohydrate consumed will affect the mechanism in the body and how it affects the health and weight.

Simple carbohydrates are a group of carbohydrates that are easily broken down into glucose (sugar). These carbohydrates are found in foods such as rice, white bread, pasta, various cakes, sweets and various drinks with soda and sweeteners. Different complex carbohydrates which generally come from fibrous vegetables of this type will be more difficult to break down into sugar.

Simple carbohydrates will be more easily broken down and absorbed by the body into calories and increase blood sugar levels. While complex carbohydrates will be more difficult to break down and have a very low effect on increasing blood sugar, while producing energy that is more durable for the body. Thus, consumption of simple carbohydrates will be easier to trigger obesity and increase blood sugar which can cause insulin deficiency and cause diabetes.

How do you take a healthy low carbohydrate diet?

If you want to go on a low carbohydrate diet, focus on reducing simple carbohydrate intake by reducing rice and sugar in drinks and food. In addition, reduce consumption of processed foods because they contain carbohydrates from flour and sugar. The maximum limit of carbohydrates per day is 130 grams, equivalent to 520 calories. Instead, multiply the consumption of protein sourced from red meat and white meat, fish, and eggs.

Don't worry, your body can still fulfill your calorie needs because you can still get from the various foods you eat everyday, unless you don't eat anything and let your body starve. Lots of research which shows that excess carbohydrates actually trigger significant accumulation of fat and cause obesity, compared to the consumption of fat itself. This is because carbohydrates produce more calories and if not used will be stored in the body fat layer.

Both fat and carbohydrates are the macronutrients needed by the body. If you only want weight loss, both types of diet if done consistently can lose weight. But also consider the balance of nutrients the body needs and the health effects it causes.

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