Isn’t Fat Bad for Me?
Are all fats created equal? ⚖️
Nope 🚫
Dietary Fat can be Good & Bad 🤔
The Skinny on Fats:
A lot of people kick off the New Year by tackling a list of resolutions. (tbh, not my favorite way of identifying something one wants to achieve or accomplish because it’s easy to fall short of the resolution and then quickly give up and write whatever it is off until next year….but that’s a topic for another post). Many of those resolutions have to do with weight loss, and subsequently involve kicking fat to the curb. So there’s something I want to share with you, not all fats are created equal. Dietary fat can be good and bad.
Heavily processed, hydrogenated “trans” fats used in prepared, packaged foods can be extremely damaging to the body. They can compromise the cardiovascular system, immune system, and contribute to behavior problems. They can also lead to weight gain, skin breakouts, high blood pressure, and liver strain. For any Star Wars fans, I like to picture trans fats as Jabba the Hutt. Jabba clearly has a damaged heart, is pretty stationery because of his size, has terrible skin and is considerably moody.
The formidable Leia, on the other hand, whose focus was to protect the republic from the evil empire and forces like Jaba, represents the good kind of fat. The kind that our bodies need for insulation, vitamin and mineral absorption, and to protect our organs. High-quality fats can steady our metabolism, keep hormone levels even, nourish our skin, hair, and nails, and provide lubrication to keep the body functioning fluidly.It’s easy to be deterred and accept that the goal or new habit just won’t happen
Where to Find Healthy Fats:
Avocados, olives, and coconuts are great sources of healthy fat for everyone.
Whole nuts and seeds, and their butters like almond butter or tahini, are yummy and nutritious.
Wild salmon and omega-3 rich organic eggs are also great additions to your diet if you are not vegetarian or vegan.
Shopping Tips:
Look for the highest-quality organic oils like organic, first-pressed, cold-pressed, extra-virgin, and unrefined.
Avoid expeller-pressed, refined, and solvent extracted.
How to Use Healthy Fats:
For cooking at high temperatures (stir frying and baking), try butter, ghee (clarified butter), or coconut oil. I recently started using avocado oil as a replacement for vegetable oil in baking old family recipes and was delighted with the outcome.
When sautéing foods, try organic extra virgin olive oil.
For sauces and dressings, oils like flaxseed, sesame, toasted sesame, walnut, and pumpkin seed are great options.
Avocados and coconut milk make great additions to smoothies, with the former being an all-star when it comes to dips and spreads and the latter as an impressive addition to winter soups!
Get Even Healthier this year!
Want help learning how to choose and use nutritious fats and other good-for-you foods? Curious about how health coaching can help you make your own healthy changes? Let’s talk! Schedule an initial complimentary consultation with me today—or pass this offer on to someone you care about!
