Three Types of Fat That Can Actually Help You Lose Weight

For decades, the consensus on diets and weight loss has been simple: if you eat fat, you will become fat. Conversely, if you want to lose body fat, you should cut back on your consumption of dietary fats.

This seemingly common-sense approach gained ground quickly among nutritionists in the 1950s and 1960s. During this period, the low-fat, low-calorie approach to weight loss became increasingly popular in the United States and around the world. By the 1970s, the federal government officially adopted a guide to healthy eating based on this concept, and the low-fat craze began in earnest.

Over the next several decades, the availability of low-fat and fat-free food products increased considerably. Everything from yogurt to cookies began to appear in lower-fat versions of the originals, prompting would-be dieters across the country to rejoice.

However, even as Americans embraced the newly-established lower-fat lifestyle, the obesity epidemic that had first began to emerge in the 1970s continued to gain ground. By the early 2000s, record levels of obesity and overweight had been reached. Men, women, and children in every age group, demographic, and socioeconomic class were affected by excess weight. Today, it is estimated that as many as one in three struggle with some level of obesity.

The persistence of the obesity problem even as overall fat consumption has declined has posed a challenge for researchers. In recent years, a small group of maverick scientists have begun to re-examine many long-held assumptions about obesity and weight loss. The role of dietary fat in weight gain has been one topic that has been held up for greater scrutiny -- with some surprising results.

Not All Fats Are Equally Fattening

Although the exact role of dietary fat in causing obesity has not yet been pinned down, one of the mistakes made by twentieth-century nutritionists has since become clear: some fats are healthier than others. When the role of dietary fat was first being explored by researchers, it was widely assumed that all fats were virtually indistinguishable from one another, and thus, that they all contributed equally to the accumulation of excess body fat.

Today, however, researchers have developed a more sophisticated view of the role of dietary fats. It is now recognized that there are many variations in molecular structure and nutritional content that impact the quality and health effects of different dietary fats. For example, it is now widely recognized that while some types of fat, such as trans fats, should be avoided virtually all the time, other fats, such as the widely-lauded omega-3s, should be incorporated into a healthful diet in moderate quantities.

Fats That Can Actually Promote Weight Loss

Even more surprising to some dieters is the news that certain types of dietary fats contain special ingredients that can boost the metabolism and speed up the weight loss process. After years of being denied fatty foods, those seeking to shed excess pounds can now feel free to include select fats into a weight loss regimen. Here are several fats that have been found to promote fat metabolism in recent clinical trials.

• Nut-Based Fats and Butters. It used to be assumed that peanut butter and similar products were fat and calorie bombs that could derail a serious weight loss effort. Today, however, the dense nutritional content of these products are prompting some weight loss experts to encourage dieters to give them another look. One study conducted by researchers at Purdue University showed that peanuts, in particular, had significant metabolism-boosting powers. The potent combination of fat, protein, and healthy carbs can help increase the rate at which calories are burned.

• Coconut Oil. Long dismissed as a dieter's worst enemy because of its high saturated fat content, coconut oil was largely banished from commercial food preparation in the mid-twentieth century. However, growing recognition of the nutritional impact of some fats have prompted researchers to re-examine this once-unpopular tropical oil. Several recent studies have touted the unique metabolism-bolstering power of coconut oil, based on the unique molecular composition of its fat. In addition to its merit as an aid to weight loss, researchers are also testing its reputation as a natural miracle cure for ailments from eczema to irritable bowel syndrome.

• Newly-Developed "Designer" Oils. Now that scientists have a clearer understanding of what makes some fats healthy and others unhealthy, many are putting this knowledge to work to create custom oils that are packed with health-boosting properties. One example is the recently-released cooking oil Enova, which has two, rather than the traditional three, fatty acids. This innovative structural difference makes it easier for the body to process it without storing it as fat.

If you want more information about which oils and fats are compatible with your weight loss effort, consult with your doctor or another licensed medical professional. Don't forget to check here each week for cutting-edge diet and weight loss news.