low carb questions

[HappyasLarry]

Hi

I am currently doing lchf, and generally doing pretty well. appetite more stable, bg readings lower, etc, but am a bit confused about a couple of things. My diet includes lots of healthy fats - fish, nuts etc, but I am not sure about other fats. Some people seem to say that full fat cheese, cream and butter are ok, but are they not saturated / unhealthy fats? and if a recipe uses yogurt, creme fraiche etc is it better to use ordinary rather than low fat or light? Also I am taking statins - have not had a blood test since I started lchf, so dont know how it is affecting my cholesterol, but can anyone tell me if statins affect cholesterol in general, or just bad cholesterol?

 

[chalup]

I would not use any dairy that is not full fat as the light or reduced fat ones are full of sugars and chemicals. Saturated fat is not the devil any more. The science coming out now is actually saying that margarine and vegetable oils are very bad for you. Butter, ghee, beef lard, olive oil, and coconut oil should be your staple fats for cooking.

 

[skal]

It all goes against the mentality we have all been trained in, saturated fats are bad and low fat is good. When I first got my diagnosis, I did a lot of research and went all guns blazing lchf. I didn't actually believe it would work and I was absolutely convinced my cholesterol would shoot up. I refused statins and still 2 months later my sugars were back to non diabetic from high teens and cholesterol was down.
The recommendations say you should opt for full fat versions of everything and the science says the fats don't absorb as you won't have an insulin spike. Insulin is the hormone you secrete most when you eat carbohydrates and it is the insulin that pulls the fat from the food and stores it. I know it sounds unbelievable but it is so true...
The statins will affect the whole cholesterol but you can always raise the good cholesterol with nuts, especially almonds and other healthy fats.

 

[HappyasLarry]

your replies are so helpful, many thanks

 

[skal]

I recommend a lecture I just watched last night on YouTube. It's by Dr Lustig and is called fat chance: fructose 2.0. It explains so well about obesity,metabolic syndrome and why sugar and highly processed foods are so dangerous.

 

[Robbity]

It all goes against the mentality we have all been trained in, saturated fats are bad and low fat is good.
.

It's not all that long ago that full fat was the norm - I was brought up eating real butter, cheese, etc, and drinking full fat milk, and creamy Jersey "gold top" milk was a Sunday treat. The only concessions I ever made in recent years to the low fat malarky were to use skimmed milk and grill my bacon etc, and much good has it done me.

I believe my weight problems and diabetes were probably caused by also being expected to eat a high carb diet by a carboholic husband after he decided to take over the cooking. Cutting out the carbs saw a dramatic reduction in my glucose levels and various health issues, and my cholesterol is fine (but apparently it's not actually dietary fats that cause problems anyway!). And GP has accepted that I've refused my statins now. Hubby is still happily(?) scoffing his carbs, statins, and blood pressure pills...

And I think I've posted elsewhere too - full fat dairy is how Nature made it and intended it to be - otherwise why would it be that way - so why interfere with it?

Robbity

 

[skal]

My parents were war time children and I grew up with full fat stuff too, but since growing up it all went out the window as the low fat brain washing came in.
I love cream and cheese and nuts and all the "naughty" things and although I know it works, I still feel guilty at times while scoffing my steak in cream sauce...