Continuing with our series of posts on diets and tips to lose weight, today we are going to try to solve a common question: is it better to reduce fat or carbohydrates in our diet? Which option is more effective to lose weight? It is a recurring “struggle”, with staunch supporters and detractors of each theory. But since losing weight is already a complex enough task, let’s try to keep things as simple as possible. Read on to find out.

What are fats?
Fats, despite what people tend to think about them, are part of the group of essential nutrients for the body. Specifically, they provide essential fatty acids, called linoleic acid and linolenic acid, which the body is not able to produce on its own but needs them to function. They are essential for brain development, inflammation control and blood clotting.

On the other hand, it must be taken into account that there are different types of fats. All of them are composed of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids; depending on the amount of each one they contain, we are talking about saturated, unsaturated, polyunsaturated and trans fats.

Benefits of fat in our body
Expressing it in a more direct way: fats are necessary since it is from where the body extracts energy to function. Carbohydrates release energy during their metabolism, but once digested, it is fats that act as body energy stores. They also help keep skin and hair healthy, as well as maintain and regulate body temperature. In addition, they are essential to assimilate vitamins A, D, E and K, called fat-soluble (which dissolve in fat).

Why we have to limit fat intake
Fat has 9 calories per gram, more than double that of protein and carbohydrates (which have 4 per gram). This is why they are considered fattening foods and their consumption should be limited. However, as we have explained before, there are different types of fat that affect the body differently.

• Saturated fats, mainly from animal products such as red meat or dairy products, are the most harmful since they increase the levels of LDL cholesterol or “bad” cholesterol.
• Unsaturated fats, meanwhile, help reduce this type of “bad” cholesterol. They come mostly from plant products, such as vegetable oils.
  Mono and polyunsaturated fats are two subtypes of unsaturated fats.
• Also of vegetable origin, the main difference between them is that the monounsaturated (olive oil) can raise the levels of LDL or “good” cholesterol, while the polyunsaturated (sunflower oil, corn, soybean, etc.) reduce.
• Trans fats, made up of trans-fatty acids, are a particularly damaging type of fat that forms when vegetable oil goes through a process called hydrogenation. They are often used to preserve and prepare some foods (such as margarine), but they are harmful to the body and should be avoided.

In short, fats are a necessary food, but should be consumed in moderation. We must try to choose whenever possible unsaturated fats of vegetable origin, necessary and beneficial for the body, and avoid saturated and trans fats as much as possible, which raise “bad” cholesterol and, therefore, cardiovascular risk.

What are carbohydrates?
If fats constitute the body’s energy reserves, hydrates are the fundamental fuel, the immediate energy supply that the body needs to carry out all basic functions. When these are depleted, it is when the body turns to stored energy in the form of fat. However, the process also occurs in the opposite direction: when we consume excess carbohydrates that the body cannot or does not need to burn, it converts them into fat to store them.

In the case of carbohydrates, we also find more than one type: the simple ones, in turn divided into monosaccharides, disaccharides and oligosaccharides, and the complex ones, made up of polysaccharides, with a structural and reserve function.

Benefits that carbohydrates provide to our body
We have already mentioned their main function of body fuel, but, in addition, they are also necessary for the functioning of the central nervous system: once synthesized, the hydrates are converted into glucose, essential for the functioning of the brain. In addition, they contribute to the metabolism of fats and prevent proteins from oxidizing and not being able to be assimilated correctly.

Why we have to limit carbohydrate intake
The answer to this question also depends on the type of carbohydrate. Simple hydrates are processed and refined flours, as well as sugars and glucose, which, basically, are limited to providing energy. An excess of this type of hydrates poses a direct risk of weight accumulation if they exceed the caloric needs of the body.

On the contrary, complex carbohydrates, present in cereals, are much more beneficial. Being slow to digest, they release energy in a progressive and sustained way, and lengthen the feeling of satiety, reducing hunger. They also contain fiber, which helps regulate cholesterol levels and improve intestinal transit.

In conclusion, the consumption of carbohydrates is absolutely necessary, but refined carbohydrates and sugars should be limited because, if they are not accompanied by intense physical activity, they can lead to problems of overweight, obesity and diabetes.

We come to the key question: Which is better, a low-carb or low-fat diet?
First of all, a qualification: the best diet is one that covers all the essential nutrients in a moderate way and with a caloric intake appropriate to energy expenditure. That said, and returning to the initial question, it is usually preferable to reduce the consumption of fats, especially those of animal origin and trans. These types of fats, as we have already seen, directly become fat stores that are difficult to burn and unnecessary in low-activity lifestyles. On the contrary, complex hydrates make it possible to obtain the necessary energy for the body progressively at the same time that they increase the feeling of satiety and provide other benefits for the body. In addition, they help metabolize and eliminate fats, thereby achieving a double positive effect.

So what is the best diet to lose weight?
As we have explained in the previous section, the best diet to lose weight is a balanced and healthy diet. All the different types of nutrients are necessary for the body, to a greater or lesser extent. The key to losing weight is to eat fewer calories a day than the body burns, which generates an energy deficit that causes the body to “pull” the accumulated energy reserves in the form of fat. It is perfectly possible to achieve this without giving up any particular food group. The key tips are as follows:

Plan your diet carefully, without improvisation.
Promote the consumption of healthy fats (vegetables) and avoid harmful ones (saturated and trans).
Choose the right carbohydrates and avoid sugars and refined ones.
And, above all, accompany the entire process of a general change in habits: learn to eat healthily in a sustained way over time, incorporate physical activity into our routine and pay attention to adequate rest.