This last trip to the grocery in Stamford, CT, convinced me there needs to be more education about the advantages of healthy fat in the diet. I watched as people spent time searching for no-fat or low-fat food, without realizing those options had sugar added to replace the flavor lost when they removed the fat. Fat isn’t always bad. Your body needs it. On the other hand, added sugar has no redeeming qualities. You’ll get many benefits when you add fat to your diet, but it must be healthy fat. Foods containing healthy fat include nuts, avocados, olives and olive oils, fatty fish, and yogurt.
Some fats are necessary for survival, while others cut your survival short.
Trans fats are the enemies of a healthy body. They are partially hydrogenated oil. Hydrogenation is a process that makes the shelf-life of liquid oil longer. Fully hydrogenated oil is solid, but trans-fat—partially hydrogenated oil—is soft and easy to spread. Trans fats are hard for the body to process. They can create problems controlling blood sugar levels and increase inflammation leading to diseases, including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. They increase the risk of stroke and heart attack and boost the bad cholesterol levels.
You need healthy fats, which include monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids—PUFAs—and monounsaturated fatty acids—MUFAs—are the healthiest fats. They provide the most benefits for the body. They improve your body’s ability to absorb fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin E. PUFAs include fatty acids the body can’t make, such as omega-3 fatty acid and Omega-6. Unsaturated fat is beneficial for all the cells in the body. If you took all the water out of the brain, 60% of what remained would be fat. It’s necessary for all functions.
To determine whether saturated fats are healthy, you have to go to the source.
If you get saturated fat from fried products, baked goods high in sugar, processed meat, or fast food, it may not be the fat that’s causing the problem, but the delivery system. If you get saturated fat from full-fat dairy, coconut, or pastured animal products, you’ll have different results. The saturated fats in whole milk from pastured cows help protect the heart. Studies also show coconut oil can improve cholesterol panels. It’s all about the food that contains saturated fat and the rest of the diet.
- MUFAs are important for blood clotting, nerve functioning, muscle strength, and brain health. PUFAs aid blood clotting, nerve functioning, muscle strength, and brain health.
- Consuming food with saturated fat is healthy for the brain. Much of the fat in the brain is saturated fat. Saturated fat is also important for immune health, and bone health. It boosts the immune system and builds insulation for the nerves.
- Eating food with healthy fat, like avocados, can improve your blood pressure. Fat is necessary for cell growth, hormone production, nutrient absorption, joint lubrication, body insulation, cell growth, and organ protection.
- Healthy fat can even help you lose weight. Fat makes you feel fuller, so you’ll eat less. It helps stabilize blood sugar levels, which can reduce insulin levels. Too much insulin causes insulin resistance and fat around your middle.
For more information, contact us today at Revolution Training