The Truth About Fat

Low fat food and diets have not helped Americans to lose weight.  In fact, Americans have doubled their obesity rates over the past 20 years. Although Americans exercise more than they used to, health issues related to weight gain have increased.

What has caused Americans to gain weight?

• There has been a movement towards eating “low fat” and “fat-free” foods.  Many fat-free food products contain a lot of sugar and refined carbohydrates. Fats help you to feel satiated. When you cut out fat, you end up eating more, which means more calories and more weight. Studies show that low dietary fat may actually promote the storage of body fat.

• There has been an increase in the consumption of fast food. These foods tend to be high in carbohydrates and calories, are highly processed and the portions are super-sized.

• People are eating more trans-fats. Trans-fats have been linked to obesity, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, low birth weight and immunity. Because of new labeling laws, a lot of products that say zero trans-fats are not trans-fat free.  Any label that has the words “hydrogentated” or “partially-hydrogenated” means that the item contains trans-fats.

Why Fats are Essential:
Your body needs fats to help with nutrient absorption, nerve transmission, the production of hormones keeping the skin soft, and maintaining cell membrane integrity.  The brain is composed of 60 percent fat. Fats are essential to brain function, moods,  memory and fetal brain development.  Fats provide essential fatty acids and are good source of energy.

Types of Fat: Monounsaturated fats come primarily from plant sources. Olive, canola, sesame and peanut oils, avocados, almonds, pecans, cashews,pistachios and sesame seeds are all monunsaturated. Olive oil is a staple of  the Mediterranean diet, is full of antioxidants and can offer protection against heart disease.

Polyunsaturated fats are found in  vegetable oils, such as corn, soy and safflower. Flax, pumpkin and sunflower seeds and walnuts are also polyunsaturated. Unfortunately, corn soy and safflower oils can  turn rancid quickly and produce harmful free radicals that  accelerate aging, increase the risk of cancer and cause inflammation and weight gain. Margarine is made with hydrogenated vegetable oil. Olive oil and  raw butter are better choices.
Omega -3's: Another type of polyunsaturated fats are the Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s are found in fatty fish (salmon, trout, catfish, mackerel), as well as flaxseed and walnuts. This type of fats can be very beneficial for the heart, can be helpful for weight loss and help to reduce inflammation in the body.

Saturated Fats are found in animal products such as red meat, bacon, poultry skin, dairy products, lard, coconut and palm oils. Not all saturated fats are bad. In fact, your body best absorbs vitamins A,D,E,B12 and K in the form of saturated fat. People have been eating saturated fats for thousands of years.
Organic grass fed meats have less saturated fat than grain fed meats and actually contain some Omega-3s.

Raw dairy tends to be less congesting and allergy producing energetically than pasteurized dairy. Raw dairy provides protein and is full of enzymes that help the body to digest it.

Coconut oil  has many beneficial properties. It contains a large concentration of Medium Chain Fatty Acids( MCFAs) which are not present in other saturated fats. The MCFAs allow for better absorption and digestion and can easily be converted to energy. Coconut oil contains anti-oxidants and can help to boost the immune system, improve digestion, increase energy levels and endurance.

Fats are an important part of a healthy diet. Olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocados, cold water fish such and salmon, herring and mackerel, coconut and small amounts of raw butter are a good source of essential fatty acids.  Fats help you to feel satiated. Avoid trans-fats, fried and processed foods and refined carbohydrates.