Does fat make you fat?

Nutritional therapist Melissa Cohen from Nutri-Light Health doesn't think so.

She said: 'Eating the right balance of food is essential for weight loss and fat burning. It's not about the quantity of foods but more about the quality and the right macro nutrients, to keep you feeling full, happy, energised and slim.

'There are only three types of foods the body recognises, these are called macronutrients, which are proteins, fats and carbohydrates. In brief, excess carbohydrates turns to fat in the body.

'Therefore, having a diet in high in good fats (nuts, peanut butter, pine nuts, flaxseeds, oily fish, olive oil) and proteins (eggs, beans, chicken, fish, lentils) turns the body into a fat burning machine from a fat storing machine.

'For optimum health include dark green leafy vegetables and bright coloured fruits and vegetables, as these are full of antioxidants that may help prevent premature ageing and disease.

'These include, blueberries, green tea, spinach, cantaloupe melon, broccoli, peppers, mushrooms, asparagus and tomatoes.

Credit: Femail