Should you really eat fat to stay slim? The new food rules explained – Telegraph.co.uk

For consumers, the furore was yet another recipe for confusion when it comes to healthy eating. 

What is clear is that the UK has actually a serious health problem. In England, 25 per cent of adults are obese and the number of people along with Type 2 diabetes has actually doubled in the past 20 years to almost 3.5 million. PHE argues that we have actually these problems because, as a nation, we don’t observe official health guidelines, consuming too much sugar and too much saturated fat. The authors of the NOF report disagree and say the guidelines are wrong.

Dr David Unwin, a GP in Merseyside who contributed to the report, believes we just need to focus on a few rules if we want to eat well. “There’s a lot that health experts agree on,” he says. “We need to concentrate on some simple messages.”

Here, we outline everything you should – and shouldn’t – be eating.

Eggs

Previous links to high cholesterol and heart disease have actually been revised and daily limits scrapped.

Starchy foods

Official advice to base meals around bread, pasta and rice are being challenged by some experts who say these foods cause blood sugar to rise, increasing the risk of diabetes. Low-carb diets are recognised as good for weight loss and reducing the risk of Type 2 diabetes.

Low fat

Once the diet du jour, research now shows that low-fat diets are ineffective, and that some fats benefit our health. Most experts worry that low-fat products such as yogurt often contain many added sugar.

Margarine and spreads

Still recommended by public health officials as a way to limit our intake of saturated fats, some experts advocate butter as a more natural option.

Nuts

Once had a dubious reputation for being high in fat and calories, but are now regarded as a key part of a healthy diet.