One year, I ate as little fat as possible. I assumed that if I didn’t want fat on my body, I shouldn’t eat fat at all. At least, that’s how I interpreted it.
Fats are on the rise. From healthy fat advocates on your Instagram feed to the Trump administration’s flipped food pyramid, what was once demonized as “unhealthy” is making a comeback. At the same time, low-calorie diets are prevalent on social media — skinniness is fashionable again, and low-fat products are still profitable. Many college students are in charge of their diets for the first time, and it can be confusing. Is fat healthy? It’s not that simple. Society’s understanding of fat is inconsistent, and we must learn how best to incorporate it into our diets.
Fat developed a bad rap in the late-nineteenth century. Research associated fat with obesity, heart disease, and high cholesterol, leading to government advocacy for low-fat diets throughout the 1900s, despite limited evidence. With the rise of low-fat (high-sugar) products such as SnackWells, the low-fat diet skyrocketed in the 1990s. For decades, fat was marketed as evil. Being the most calorie-dense of the macronutrients, many people assume it directly leads to weight gain.
“There has been this misconception that eating fat makes you fat, when in reality, overeating any of the macronutrients can lead to the creation of adipose tissue and then increased overall body fat percentage,” nutrition associate professor Michele Hockett Cooper said.
While research has challenged the low-fat diet, it influenced America’s recommended diet for years. MyPyramid (2005) and MyPlate (2011) recommended healthy fats but encouraged low-fat dairy products and limited saturated fats, such as butter, red meat and whole milk. Saturated fats, unlike unsaturated fats, are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and high cholesterol.
Now, saturated fats and animal products are plastered on the food pyramid. The Trump administration released new dietary guidelines in hopes of “ending the war on saturated fats.” While this creates some concern, the report maintains the previous recommendation, which is to limit saturated fats to below 10% of daily calories. In moderation, saturated fats aren’t bad. The real concern is the communication.
“The fact that fats are featured permanently in the new pyramid is misleading,” Hockett Cooper said. “It can be seen as permissive.”
Not only that, the graphic doesn’t reflect the report at all. It is meant to catch your attention, unlike previous graphics such as MyPlate.
“My greatest concern is that we have lost an educational tool that was very helpful and very understandable for people — a picture of a plate,” said Drew Hays, a registered dietitian and nutrition associate professor.
Many students get their diet education from social media, which can be very confusing. We are exposed to a plethora of opinions. Gym bros encourage steak and butter, vegans advocate for plant-based protein, and unsaturated fats are marketed as “healthier.” Along with the confusing communication from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the media we are interacting with promotes different notions of health. Additionally, most social media personalities are not qualified dietitians.
In the face of conflicting information, it’s crucial to stay informed and learn what is best for you. Instead of believing the fitness guru who says butter is healthy, understand that “healthy” can mean a lot of different things. Is it okay in moderation? Probably. Should you have it at every meal? Probably not. Also recognize that diets are not for everyone, and eating should not feel like a chore. Yes, you need certain nutrients to function, but don’t work yourself so hard to decode the “perfect” diet.
Coppa is a journalism sophomore from Charlotte, North Carolina.
