What we eat consists of carbohydrates, fats and protein. For any amount of food we consume, the percentages of carbohydrates, fats and proteins vary, but the total of the three should always add up to 100%. Diets that are meant to be unusually high in protein -- or unusually low in protein -- are currently rare. Many people choose to count calories as a way of restricting weight gain. But there are those who, instead of counting calories, prefer to restrict either fats or carbs.

In the 1980s, the trend was in favor of low fat diets. Low fat cookies, ice cream and yogurt were all the rage. Many people gained a lot of weight by eating low fat foods. Some were under the mistaken impression that we put on fat by eating fat. In fact, how much of our own body mass consists of fat has nothing to do with the percentage of fat in our diet.

With the popularity of the Atkins diet in the late nineties, many people switched to a low carb diet. A low carb diet is, in fact, a high fat diet. When we consume fat, we have to burn it in order to turn it into sugar. This is a process that consumes calories. If the same amount of calories are consumed, the higher the fat, the less the overall weight gain. This diet works well for people who have a strong craving for fat and a relatively sluggish metabolism.

For other people, who have a very high metabolism, a high carb diet might be just fine, as they always burn as much as they consume. Eating sugar makes them fly like a hummingbird, and like a hummingbird, they remain light.

Whatever diet is right for you, don't let the marketing fool you. A low carb food is one that is high in fat. A low fat food is one that is high in carbs. Whatever the percentages are, they always add up to 100%.

(c) 2008 Aya Katz