(NaturalHealth365) With the end of the year fast approaching, you may be gearing up for your “New Year resolution diet,” hoping to become your healthiest self or shed those excess pounds.  Unfortunately, many people falsely assume that “eating fats” is the problem … when, in truth, there’s much more to this weight loss equation.

Even most conventionally-trained physicians believe that ‘avoiding fat’ is a logic (first step) idea – when it comes to weight loss and getting healthy.  However, this can be a dangerous decision for your overall health.

Simply put, healthy fats are necessary for a healthy life.

The problem with restricting fats in your diet

The low-fat (even “no fat”) type diets hit its peak in the 1970s, with the help of the Pritikin diet.  At the height of its craze, a well-conducted study was performed to test the overall effects of the diet’s health benefits.

This study found that women who consume a low-fat diet experienced no ‘extra’ health benefits for different cancers or heart disease. What’s more shocking is that the nearly 50,000 women who completed the trial found its results for weight loss inadequate.

Keep in mind, Nathan Pritikin (himself) dropped his cholesterol levels way down – but, got a blood cancer and died at 70 years old.

What the study did find is that the types of fat consumed was much more important than the quantity. Healthy fats, which can include fats from avocados, coconut oil, olive oil, and nuts, produced the desired results.

When these healthy fats replace toxic (heavily processed) versions in your diet, the risk of heart disease and diabetes goes way down.

What happens to fat-soluble vitamins

A very low calorie or low-fat diet can result in deficiencies in some of the fat-soluble vitamins. These include vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin K. Blood tests are needed to determine your levels to ensure they are not too high if supplemented in the diet.

Deficiencies in these vitamins can result in blindness, skin problems, poor immune function, heart disease, dementia, anemia, or excessive bleeding, depending on which of the fat-soluble vitamins are low.

Consider a “Mediterranean style” dietary lifestyle

Stay set on weight-loss via diet change, but choose wisely.

The Mediterranean Diet is an excellent alternative to the low-fat trend. It encourages fresh, seasonal foods that are eaten in the Mediterranean region and have been for centuries. There is no calorie counting either.  But, of course, we also encourage you to pick organic – especially with all these chemicals used in modern farming.

Fish, vegetables, and olive oil are the cornerstones of this diet, and the results speak for themselves. This diet is widely regarded for its heart-healthy benefits.  If you find it hard to stick to other diets, this one likely won’t leave you feeling hungry.

For example, olive oil is a valued part of this diet.  The regular consumption of olive oil leads to lowered risks of cardiovascular diseases, certain cancers, inflammation, and improves immune function.  Just don’t overdo it – like anything else for that matter.

Another option is a ketogenic style diet.  Some people tend to suggest that this diet even kill cancer cells.  But, not everyone agrees with that and it would be wise to consult a trusted, integrative healthcare provider when making decisions like that.

Bottom line, quality matters – especially when it comes to picking the right fats for your diet.

Sources for this article include:

NIH.gov
NaturalHealth365
Healthline
WebMD
NIH.gov