Why should we have more fats in our diet?
Good fats boost energy levels, balance our hormones, increase fertility, help maintain a good mood, stave off depression, keep our skin glowing, and reduce the risk of having a stroke!
Generally speaking, healthy high fat diets help maintain optimal health & well-being. The “Standard American Diet” which is based on processed foods high in refined carbohydrates and sugar, results in numerous health problems and diseases that were considered extremely rare just a few hundred years ago: obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and cancer!
How do we get more fat into our diet?
Eat eggs with the yolks. Eggs are one of the most abundant and nutrient-dense foods on the planet. Good quality whole eggs contain every known nutrient. Always buy the highest quality organic eggs you can afford. Pastured eggs are best, but there are many good quality free-range organic eggs available.
Use real butter every day! Good quality grass-fed butter is full of vitamin A, and also contains the other fat-soluble vitamins D, E & K. Butter has many other healthy nutrients and the fatty acids in it help protect against cancer. Fake butter spreads like margarine contain highly processed oils that contribute to cardiovascular disease and other health problems. Avoid any type of butter substitute spread, even the so called “natural” ones! It is best to buy organic butter from grass-fed cows.
Eat & drink full fat organic dairy products. If you are not eating a strict Paleo diet or can easily digest dairy foods, this is a great way to incorporate a good source of animal fat. When shopping for dairy products, if you see the words “fat-free” or “low-fat” simply turn away! Numerous studies show that high fat dairy lowers your risk of heart attack and stroke. They taste much better too! Raw cultured dairy products also provide an excellent source of probiotic for the gut. Always choose full-fat dairy products and it is best to buy organic and raw whenever possible. Find a trusted local source you can buy whole raw milk from. Use real cream in your coffee or tea. (Paleo challengers – the only dairy allowed during the challenge is cream in your coffee and tea.)
Use healthy fats for all your cooking. Most non-stick cookware contains toxic chemicals and those chemicals can be absorbed directly into the food while cooking! Invest in some cookware like standard cast iron, enameled cast iron, or stainless steel and using ample amounts of healthy fats to prevent sticking. Beyond the nutritional benefits of healthy fats, you will be adding more flavor to your cooked food. Use the following fats for cooking: ghee (clarified butter) lard, beef tallow, goose or duck fat, bacon fat, palm oil, coconut oil and butter . Be sure your animal fats are from healthy properly raised animals, and your plant-based fats are extra virgin, cold-pressed and organic. Avoid vegetable oils such as canola, cottonseed, soy, corn, or peanut, as these oils are highly processed, usually from genetically modified crops, and can contain carcinogens from chemical solvents used in heat processing. These types of fats have little to no nutritional value.
Eat fat when having sugar. When we eat a fat with a sugary food, it helps slow the rise in blood sugar from the sugary food. For example, if you eat a bowl of fresh fruit alone, you’ll get a good quick spike in blood sugar. If you eat that bowl of fruit with some coconut milk drizzled over it, your blood sugar will not spike as quickly, and not as high because of the fat in the coconut milk. Another example would be having a serving of nut butter with an apple. Other good fats to enjoy with sugary foods: sprouted nuts and seeds, coconut flakes, coconut butter, fresh avocado.
Remember, fat doesn’t make you fat!
Our bodies actually need fat to burn fat. Over consumption of refined carbohydrates and sugar promotes weight gain. Studies show that people who eat more fat in their meals & snacks enjoy their food more, get full more quickly, and stay satiated longer. This usually results in healthier eating habits, weight maintenance and/or healthy weight loss.
The human body needs fat to function. Fat is important for the following:
– Healthy blood lipid levels
– Healthy liver & gallbladder function
– Healthy hormone balance
– Cell wall permeability
– Production of anti-inflammatory prostaglandins
– Fuel for the muscles in our body (particularly the heart!)
Good fats vs. bad fats
When you are shopping for oils, be sure to buy ones that are cold pressed or expeller pressed, unrefined, extra virgin, and organic. Avoid oils like canola, soy, cottonseed, corn, and peanut. It is extremely important to avoid ALL oils and foods that have been hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated. Again, these are trans fats that our bodies cannot digest. Consumption of these types of fats are directly associated with heart disease, cancer, diabetes, reduced immune function, infertility, and obesity.