You do not get fat by eating fat. You get fat from food that increases your insulin levels, to much sugars, carbohydrates, processed foods. Your body needs good quality fats for everyday functioning of almost every cell reaction.
So why Fats and Oils – Why you need to include them in your diet.
Your hormones, moods, brain reactions are all dependent on fat. So if you starve your body from fat normal body functions will become depleted which may start with fatigue, tired, bad skin, depressed, but later may lead to digestive issues, auto immune problems, chronic fatigue, adrenal stress the list goes on.
The fat on fat. The macronutrient that helps you be happy
Too much of the wrong type of fats and oils have huge implications on your health and well being. Not only through the calories but the type of oils. It can be confusing as to what sort to use, and what to avoid. Great quality fats and oils, are anti aging and essential for your long term well being and health. Fats and oils are essential for the well being of your entire body. They are required for brain function, nervous system and aiding in the making of most of your bodies hormones. Good quality fats are also essential for transporting vitamins and minerals around your body. Our digestive system depends on, which also means your skin health depends on it. Great oils are anti-aging, bad oils are aging, toxic and rancid. Today we are surrounded by so much conflicting information, it is really hard to know what is right and what is wrong. I want to help you understand and know the facts so you can be informed and make the decisions yourself.
So first of all do not be afraid of fat, because it is not the cause of getting fat. Also don’t be scared of good carbohydrates, we need them, and don’t be scared of protein we need them to. The key is balance and getting that balance right. When you have to much of something this is when it throws everything out of whack. When you eliminate something as important as fat, you also have problem. So we need all of these macro nutrients. What we don’t need is processed refined foods, sugars and toxins they are what makes you fat and unhealthy.
Check out my post on healthy eating facts – food pyramid. This gives you an idea on portion sizes. For every meal you want to include around one thumb size amount of good quality fat. The majority of your carbohydrates coming from vegetables and good quality protein in every meal.
First oils to avoid
Vegetable oils, canola oils, oil blends, rice bran oil – Why because they aren’t real oils that your body can use, they affect your cholesterol and your body has no idea how to break them down. They are highly refined, heated and extracted using toxic chemicals. They rarely contain any goodness.
Margarine – this is so bad for you, so many different chemicals and ingredients go into marg, they are blends of all sorts, and hugely dangerous to your health, even the ones that say they are good…don’t go near them.
Fats and Oils to use.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Use this lots, its a staple in your diet now. Extra virgin means you get more goodness from the olive, so basically just a squeezed olive, and there is the oil.
Coconut Oil – Great, use this for some cooking. Check out my post on coconut products here.
Avocado Oil – Use this lots also, great in salads, always use cold though, don’t heat.
Fish oils – Great to take as a supplement, and to include into weekly meals some salmon and other oily fish. Don’t heat.
Butter – is ok for you, why? Because its clean, its cream and salt (the good brands use seasalt, read the labels). Don’t abuse this however, the amount you would use is minimal, it is a fat, and it is calories, so eat smart, don’t just pile it on everything, because its the better option to marg. Use it instead of margerine, and in cooking if needed.
Nuts and seeds
Nuts are great for you when they are raw. Check out my post on Nuts and Seeds – Roasted vs Raw Problem is every one eats them roasted with a whole lot of table salt on them. When a nut is roasted the oils have been heated to a temperature that they cannot handle, certain oils can be heated to different temperatures. As soon as a nut is heated to above 80 degrees the oils begin to go rancid and loose all the benefits. So instead of having antioxidants the oils in the nuts are more likely to age you then help you stay young.
Other benefits of Raw Nuts and seeds.
All nuts contain fiber, which helps lower your cholesterol. Fiber also makes you feel full, so you eat less. Fiber is also thought to play a role in preventing diabetes.
Vitamin E may help stop the development of plaques in your arteries, which can narrow them. Plaque development in your arteries can lead to chest pain, coronary artery disease or a heart attack.
Some nuts contain plant sterols, a substance that can help lower your cholesterol. Plant sterols are often added to products like margarine and orange juice for additional health benefits, but sterols occur naturally in nuts.
Nuts are also a source of l-arginine, which is a substance that may help improve the health of your artery walls by making them more flexible and less prone to blood clots that can block blood flow.
Nuts and the oils or juices from them to consume.
Almonds, Almond milk (unsweetened), Coconut Cream,Coconut milk (unsweetened), Flax Seed, Hazelnuts, Hemp Seeds, Macadamia Nuts, Pecans, Pine Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Sesame Seeds, Sunflower Seeds and Walnuts
Don’t be afraid of including healthy fats into your diet. If you combine these with clean, natural real food your body will thank you. Start making the right choices for your body, so you are fueling it to be happy, healthy and fit.
As for butter versus margarine, I trust cows more than chemicals.
