Identifying the hidden sources of saturated fat and added sugar in your diet is essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

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A recently compiled list of foods and drinks commonly consumed in the United States suggests why many adults inadvertently consume excessive saturated fat and added sugar in their daily diet.

The study reveals that limiting fat and sugar to the recommended 10% of daily calories is challenging due to various popular sources, such as cheese for saturated fat and soft drinks for added sugar. Unexpected sources like chicken and ketchup contribute to overconsumption, posing risks for cairdiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer.

The analysis of data from over 35,000 U.S. adults is part of a project to develop a research tool to streamline the assessment of these dietary downsides. The work also aims to raise awareness among consumers about the unexpected sources of fat and sugar that accumulate over the overesearchers hope this will encourage shoppers to read labels and identify these hidden sources.

“Chicken breast is often promoted as a low saturated fat food, but it still contains a small amount of saturated fat. It’s important to be aware that even foods with smaller amounts of saturated fat can contribute to the overall intake, gradually adding saturated fat into the diet,” explained Christopher Taylor, the first author of the study and a professor and director of medical dietetics at The Ohio State University’s School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.

“Meeting less than 10% helps identify major contributors, and allows us to recognize where saturated fat and added sugar might still be present in other food options. This doesn’t mean these are bad choices – it’s about being mindful of how the morning latte might be contributing.”

Lead author Susan Schembre, an associate professor of oncology at Georgetown University’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, raised a public health policy concern about the abundant added sugar.

“It’s present in so many unexpected foods and often in surprising amounts,” she remarked.

The researchers examined information from 36,378 adults in the United States, aged 19 and older, who took part in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2005 to 2018. This survey gathered 24-hour dietary recalls from each participant, providing detailed information on what and when all food and beverages were consumed over the preceding two days.

Here is the rewritten text:The main sources of saturated fat were cheese, pizza, ice cream, and eggs. The leading sources of added sugar were soft drinks, tea, fruit drinks, cakes, and pies. According to the USDA’s “What We Eat in America” food list, other categories contributing to saturated fat intake include cold cuts, cream substitutes, fried potatoes, and whole milk. Categories with added sugar include tomato-based condiments, cereal bars, energy drinks, and yeast breads.

The research team also analyzed variations in the primary sources of saturated fat and added sugar across different race/ethnicity groups and age brackets, which is crucial when evaluating diets for the purpose of developing tailored health interventions, Schembre explained.

“Before you understand what you can intervene on, you have to know what people are consuming,” she said.

The team is developing an app for focused assessment of “nutrients of concern.” They have shown that this analytical method generates a comprehensive list of foods that contribute to most of the saturated fat and added sugar intake. While NHANES data is important for understanding nutrition in the United States, identifying the specific food and beverage sources of fat, added sugar, and soon, sodium, is more efficient and effective for disease interventions.

The analysis revealed that saturated fat made up at least 12% of daily calories, while added sugar intake ranged from 14% to 16% of total calories. Although dietary recommendations often highlight common culprits like pizza and ice cream, this comprehensive list provides valuable and, for some, surprising insights, according to Taylor.

“There are foods that are high in saturated fat and added sugar which are frequently consumed and often targeted. However, there is also a smaller cumulative effect of things that are generally perceived as healthy, but still contribute a little bit,” he said. “When you top it off with some of those higher sources, it ends up taking you over the threshold for 10% of the day’s calories.”

“We’re aiming to find the right balance between addressing the major issues upfront while also recognizing the subtle contributors.”

How does Excess Fat and Protein in Diet impacts Brain Negatively? A guest post by Kelly Everson


How does Excess Fat and Protein in Diet impacts Brain Negatively?

How does Excess Fat and Protein in Diet impacts Brain Negatively?

Too much of fat and protein in your diet can cause adverse effects on your brain. In a recent study, researcher discovered that getting rid of excess fat can improve the brain function while reversing the negative impacts associated with weight gain. On the other hand, excessive consumption of protein can alter your brain function and the nervous system. Some researches indicate that body fat increases the number of protein in the brain which triggers a number of events that predispose a person to mental illnesses like Alzheimer’s disease.

Here are various ways through which excess fat and protein in diet negatively impacts your brain:

  • Alter Brain Chemical and Tissues

In reference to Dr. Melinda Sothern, a food system expert from the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, excessive consumption of diet that is rich in protein and fat triggers neurological and chemical changes in the brain. This is usually caused by changes in genes that cause the receptive cells of the brain fail to receive different genes. When this takes place, your brain develops in a different, undesirable manner that can make you more likely to become overweight or obese. Changes in brain chemicals can in turn trigger the onset of mental illnesses like anxiety, depression and Alzheimer’s disease.

  • Impairs The Nervous System

Recent studies indicate that other than sugars, unhealthy fats and excess protein can disrupt neurological messengers as well as metabolism messengers. This usually happens over time, and once the damage is done, it can be difficult change your behavior or eating habits. Your brain can no longer be able to listen to signals coming from your stomach or the intestines. The signals reaching your brain are different because you have over-indulged in unhealthy fats or refined sugar from processed foods.

  • Causes Memory Loss

According to researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, people who consume saturated and Trans fat are at an increased risk of memory loss and other cognitive functions. Saturated fats are commonly found in animal products like red meat and butter, which are also great sources of protein. In a statement, Dr. Olivia Okereke, M.D., from the Department of Psychiatry at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, said that when they were looking at changes in cognitive function, the total amount of fat intake didn’t really matter, although the source significantly did. In the meantime, study participants who took healthy fats from plant sources showed improved cognitive function.


  • Impairs Blood Brain Barrier

The blood vessels that are in charge of supplying the brain are equipped with a specialized lining that can’t be found in other areas of your body. This special lining is commonly known as the blood-brain barrier (BBB). This barrier regulates the entry of nutrients and other chemicals into the brain by actively mediating their transport from blood into your brain. Only a few amounts of chemicals can leak into your brain, and ammonia, a byproduct of protein, is one of them. When in excessive amounts in your body, the leakage of ammonia can potentially lead to brain damage.

  • Increased Stroke Risk

If you are obese, fat/cholesterol may accumulate in your blood vessels and trigger a rise in blood pressure. This may in turn cause the rupture of arteries. If this happens in your brain, you are at an increased risk of developing stroke, which can be fatal. This can also lead to frequent headaches which can negatively affect your ability to concentrate at work or make it hard for you to fall asleep at night.

  • Brain Shrinkage

Trans fat commonly found in protein sources like red meats can raise your “bad” or LDL cholesterol levels while lowering the “good” or HDL cholesterol. In reference to Brandon Mentore, sports nutritionist and functional medicine practitioner, a high consumption of trans fat can lead to brain shrinkage. Trans fat ups the amount of oxidation in your body to create an arterial stiffness. This influences the ability of your brain and nerves to expand and contract, which can increase inflammation and impair your brain. In reference to a study published in the journal Neurology, brain scans showed that excess ingestion of trans fat can cause brain shrinkage.

Regulating Protein and Fat Intake

While your body requires protein and fat to function normally, eating in moderation is the key to a better metabolic health and your brain function. Here are some tips to help ensure that you are consuming the right amounts of protein and healthy fats:

  • Avoid protein from animal sources and instead go for healthier plant options like legumes, seeds and nuts.
  • Avoid high protein foods that are also rich in fat
  • Eat plant-based fat like olive oil, castor seed oil, vegetable oil, etc
  • Ensure you get adequate protein in your diet to help in tissue repair and muscle formation.

Conclusion

When consumed in excessive amounts, protein and fats can produce adverse effects on the health of your brain. While the two make a part of a healthy diet, eating in moderation can help in the maintenance of a healthier body, and thus should be consumed in every meal. Even if you are on a weight loss diet, make sure you are getting adequate amounts of protein and healthy fats in your regular meals.

Related Video

Top 4 Healthy Foods to Boost Your Brainpower

Author Bio

Kelly Everson is MA in English Literature and an American Author. Her work comprises of articles appearing or forthcoming in over a dozen health care websites covering beauty skin care, weight loss, diet and overall men’s & women’s health. When she’s not educating strangers with her writing, she’s most likely researching about new discoveries in health, fitness and beauty industry. You can see more of her work at Consumer Health Digest. Connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

Lowering your cholesterol. Check out these handy and practical tips on reducing your cholesterol levels.


Lowering Cholesterol

Lowering Cholesterol

The newspapers, TV and internet are full of it.  It seems that you cannot turn anywhere without being given dire warnings about the dangers of having too high cholesterol.

And no wonder.

Recent studies suggest that people with high cholesterol (or hyperlipidemia as the boffins call it) are at much greater risk of strokes, heart attacks and heart disease in general.  So I think it can safely be said that it is something we should all be looking out for.

That being said, it does seem that getting good practical advice for those of us rushing around does not seem to be as easy as we would like.

So we at PatientTalk.Org have decided to put together a list of ideas which you can use on a daily basis.

a) Eat whole grain foods like brown rice or whole-wheat pasta.  You might want to experiment with things like quinoa or bulgur wheat.  Porridge or rolled oats for breakfast are a winner.

b) Lots of fruit and vegetables.  I mean lots.  My mother suggests leaving skins on vegetables whenever possible.  So you can still peel pumpkins.

c) Don’t eat animal or chicken skin and fat.  You might even think of becoming vegetarian for at least some of the time.

d) Exercise.  There are lots of possibilities and we have covered a fair few on this blog. https://patienttalk.org/exercise-for-people-with-chronic-pain/

e) Give junk food the body swerve.

f)   Use olive and other healthier oils in cooking and dressings but do so sparingly.

g) Cook for yourself  and do try to eliminate processed food.

h)  Take a packed lunch to work or school rather than buying something when you are there.

i)   Oh yes and give up smoking.  But you knew that, didn’t you?

If you have any other suggestions please feel free to share in the comments box below.

Our readers would love to hear your story!


Obesity and Weight Loss – Do you consider yourself to be overweight? Why not take our poll!


We cover the related areas of obesity and weight loss on a frequent basis on this blog.

However one question which is of huge interest but not often explore is to the extent that people are happy (or not) with their weight!

Obesity

Obesity

We, therefore, thought it would be of value to run a poll on the subject.  It is just below so please feel free to take part.

Do you use the comments box below to add any further details about your vote which you think may be of interest to our readers.  We are very interested in weight loss techniques you have employed which you might wish to share.