NP fitness

Every time I shop at Trader Joe’s I pick up a container or two of their brand of Greek yogurt.  I have already blogged on how it can be used as a high-protein snack or as an addition to a protein shake.  What I did not get into is which percent fat version I choose and why.

I always go for the full-fat version of yogurt, milk, and cheese because I now know that one, the saturated fats they contain almost certainly will not harm my health, and two, could actually be good for me.  This realization first came to me after reading Good Calories, Bad Calories, a masterpiece by Gary Taubes which goes through the history of the low-fat diet movement and how fats are demonized by most people and the media.  I finally had the chance to get through Fat: It’s not what you think by Connie Leas.  I saw this book last year at Barnes and Noble and did not pick it up then, but ordered it through Amazon.com instead.  Having read through chapters on nutrition and metabolism all through my physiology classes and beyond, I have not come across any other book that explains fat and its characteristics as easily as this one.  The author is not a biochemist but rather a technical writer who stated that there are still misconceptions about fat that have prevailed since the 1950’s.  This is due in part to controversies and myths perpetuated by scientists and nutritionists who maintain that saturated fat and cholesterol are the main villains in heart disease.  Leas cites many references that show that saturated fat and cholesterol are not implicated in heart disease (trans-fats are), but actually necessary for health.  In addition, the chapters on why low-fat diets failed and how to balance fats in our diet are extremely informative.  For anyone looking to increase their knowledge on fats and their role for our bodies, I highly recommend this book.