Eat more fat, sounds scary right?!!
Eating fat has gotten a bad rep over the past few decades. The whole "low fat" and "fat free" craze doesn't seem to be working. Look around, the entire world is getting fatter and fatter. This is because when they take the fat out of the product, they replace it with sugar to make up for the lost flavor.
Fat doesn't make you fat, sugar does (
Sugar is converted to energy in our bodies and is converted directly to fatty acids, then body fat).
Eating healthy fats is vital to our health. We need fat for our digestion, heart, brain, metabolism and immune system! Healthy fats act as antioxidants and even get rid of toxins and heavy metals in our systems.
When you eat more healthy fats you will begin to feel full quicker, stay full longer, and your cravings will diminish.
Healthy fats to incorporate into your daily diet:
- Olive oil (do not heat as it turns rancid)
- Coconut oil
- Fresh Coconut
- Avocados
- Raw nuts & seeds- almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, pumpkin seeds, etc.
- Flax or chia seeds
- Wild Salmon
- ORGANIC animal fats
- ORGANIC Full-fat dairy (I personally don't consume dairy, but if you do make it organic and full fat. When the fat is taken out of the dairy, many of the enzymes that help break down the lactose are also taken out. We are meant to eat the whole food.)
- Grass-fed butter!
DO NOT EAT: Canola Oil, sunflower, safflower, soya bean and corn oils! These are the bad fats that do more harm than good.
As a health coach, I often get asked... "What about saturated fats!? Isn't coconut oil bad for you?"
Call me crazy, but I have a hard time believing that eating a fresh coconut or organic coconut oil can possibly lead to heart disease or cancer, even if it is full of saturated fat! Many experts would argue that saturated fats aren’t the problem, it's the hydrogenated vegetable oils that are. In the 1990s, it was
proven that hydrogenated vegetable oils (aka trans fats) cause heart disease, not saturated fats. A 2010
study also confirmed that there is no association between saturated fat and risk of heart disease or stroke.
Here are some reasons why saturated fats are good for us:
1. Saturated fats are resistant to heat and rancidity. Cooking in high-heat can turn most vegetable oils toxic (even olive oil!), while saturated fats, like organic butter and coconut oil, will hold up during the cooking process without creating dangerous carcinogens.
2. Grass-fed organic butter is surprisingly packed with nutrients, including 10 vitamins, 10 minerals, and 18 amino acids!
3. Saturated fats are great for energy. They convert slowly and steadily into cellular fuel as needed, keeping our blood sugar levels stable, resulting in diminished carb and sugar cravings!
4. Saturated fats may boost metabolism and aid weight loss efforts. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that medium-chain fatty acids, like those found in coconut oil, were three times more effective at raising metabolism than long-chain fatty acids.
Despite all the benefits above, this is not an excuse to start binging on bacon or butter. Quality is extremely important, especially when it comes to animal fat. Choose organic, pasture-raised products whenever possible. When animals are raised in toxic environments and injected with hormones or antibiotics, those toxins get stored in body fat to protect their organs. So, when we are eating fat from animals that have been fed antibiotics or a GMO diet, we are also consuming those toxins. Grass-fed, pasture-raised butter and meats are best. In regards to coconut or olive oil, look for organic, pure extra-virgin labels. When it comes to nuts, eat them raw and watch your serving size as they are very nutrient dense and high-calorie!
XO, Amanda
