Butter is Back!

By Claudia Wilson

Dietary fat is not the foe it once was 20 or even 10 years ago. There is a growing body of research that is uncovering too many carbohydrates in the diet as the culprit of many diseases, not fat. It doesn’t mean that we need to cut carbs totally out, but reducing them to more moderate levels would help – something that automatically happens by following TKM.

I know the nutritional advice being thrown around now can be very confusing. Every year it is something different. Eat this, don’t eat that!  Oh wait, scratch that! Well, let’s see. Okay, hold please for more research.  It’s not that us as dietitians change our minds – we are trained to follow the research and bring it to you in a way that’s useful.

For many health reasons and weight-loss reasons, fat is your friend. In THE ONE-TWO PUNCH fat is not included as a macronutrient you need to count in your one-two punch, your fist and fist.  It is treated as a condiment; butter on your vegetables, dressing on your salad, or fat already in your choice of protein or carbohydrate.  Fats include oils, butter, margarine, salad dressing, avocados and some sauces.

There is fat in some of the carbohydrates and protein foods that you choose as your fists, but the idea is not to get too caught up in the details.  Remember if you’re using your fists as your portion guidelines, your fat is not going to be out of control. Some meals will be higher in fat than others and that is okay.  With more fat in some meals you will stay full for a longer period of time.  Remember the first foundational principle is waiting until you are hungry before you eat.

The purpose with OTP is to moderate and balance all your nutrients.  Research will continue to be done (thank goodness!) and the recommendations may change a bit, but going overboard in any one area has never been recommended.  The best diets, whether you eat animal products or practice a vegan lifestyle, include a balance of protein, carbohydrates and fat.