70 per cent Indians mix fats, sugars in their diet

HYDERABAD: A recent study conducted by a leading WhatsApp-based nutrition service, The Food Analysts, among a pool of 3,000 individual subscribers from across the country, concluded that up to 70% of Indians mix fats and sugars, regularly as part of their diet. This ever increasing trend has been largely brought about by the growing consumption of fast food items like burgers with cold drinks and pizzas, although processed and heavily refined foods are just as culpable.

The reason for which combinations of fats and sugars are so incredibly unhealthy is the fact that these two compounds are seldom found together in nature. What this means is that the human body is improperly capable of reacting to them in manner we’d like, and instead insulin is triggered at the double its ordinary rate; a process which inserts the fat into muscle cells.

One of the first rules of nutrition is to never mix fats and sugars, because together they make for a very unhealthy combination that can cause untold long term complications, the most noticeable of which is intramuscular fat, one of the major factors contributing to obesity. Obesity is often seen as a typically Western problem, but that’s no longer the case. India is fighting its own secret battle with the disease, and there are an estimated 60 million people all across the country who suffers from this condition.

Intramuscular fat is difficult to get rid of because of its hidden nature  as it is spread within the muscles of your body.  It contributes to insulin resistance, a key cause of Type 2 Diabetes. Increased inflammation, reduced recovery from training, and decreased strength are all side effects of a regular diet of this type, as is hyperphaegia –the endearing desire to eat more food. Studies have revealed the correlation between the hyperphagic and weight-promoting effects of a sugar-fat diet when compared to a diet that comprises either fats or sugars individually.

It’s worth noting that this does not apply to low GI carbs (which are complex in nature) when combined with fats. Low GI carbs do not cause a spike in blood sugar unlike High GI carbs which are simple in nature. The latter cause a sudden spike of sugar in the blood and thus releasing insulin in an disorganised pattern which creates an environment that deposits fats.

Veer Ramlugon, Founder and CEO of The Food Analysts said “I see this issue as one brought about by a lack of awareness about the basics of nutrition that needs to be addressed. At The Food Analysts, we educate our customers by informing them about the nutritional value of every meal they eat through regular reports that also take into account their fitness goals, while being a constant source of motivation. If we’re to win the battle against unhealthy eating habits in our country, we first need to know that we’re in a fight to begin with.”