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The Truth About Fats: What You Need to Know!

Fats seem to have a pretty bad wrap, getting the blame for obesity, heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes and a host of other diseases. With these health conditions now being considered ‘epidemics’, it’s any wonder why people go crazy for LOW FAT DIETS. You just need to walk into a supermarket to see advertising on packaging everywhere with things like “99% fat free” & “Now with 50% less fat”.

Unfortunately, this misinformation could be the sole reason why you aren’t able to achieve your health & lifestyle goals. With a little bit of research & understanding, fats can actually be used to assist in brain function, hormone production, insulin sensitivity, muscle gain, weight loss, energy production, joint health & a host of other health benefits.

Today, I have decided to firstly have a look at some popular myths surrounding fats & then show you, that by understanding that there are different types of fats & what they are, you can actually use fats to achieve your health & lifestyle goals!

1. Fat is bad for you

As we stated earlier, fat has been attributed to obesity & diseases, so much so that many people now believe that what ever type of fat you eat, it is going to cause you to gain weight and to increase your chances of developing disease or a health problem. By understanding fats, we know that eating the right fats can actually do the opposite & can in fact help to decrease body fat, increase energy levels & build lean muscle.

2. Fat will make you fat

Again, one of the first things people do when trying to lose weight is to look at nutritional labels & advertising, and they eliminate foods that are high in fat. Believe it or not, this may be one of the major reasons why they are staying fat! Diets extremely low in fat will cause the exact opposite effect, which is they will cause you to store fat. When your body is deprived of good fats, it will instinctively start to hold onto fat cells & store them to survive. It does this, as it believes it will need to store them for energy

3. To lose fat you must avoid fat

We have just explained in the previous point, that avoiding fat can actually in fact make you store fat. By ensuring that you know your fats, and you are fuelling your body with good healthy fats, you can ensure that your body does not start to store fat. Let’s look at it this way;refined carbohydrates & sugar make you fat! When you eat sugar or refined carbohydrates, your blood sugar skyrockets, the body then produces insulin, which in turn causes a drop in blood sugar & at the same time sends a signal for the body to store fat. By eliminating sugar and refined carbohydrates, we control our insulin (which in turn assists in controlling appetite & not over eating) and it avoids unnecessary fat storage.

4. Eating fat increases your risk of heart disease & diabetes

Ok, so there is some truth to this one! However, it is only when we are eating the wrong kinds of fats. Below we will take a look at the different kinds of fats, so you can understand the difference between good & bad fats. The most important thing to understand here is that trans fats are the worst kind of fats. The body cannot process these types of fats properly, which when you consume too many of them can lead to heart disease & diabetes.

5. All fats are the same

We have mentioned that not all fats are the same above, so lets have a look at the different types of fats & what they are. I’m sure you will soon agree, fats are most definitely not all the same & that by stereotyping fats & avoiding them is definitely not the healthiest option!

Saturated Fats:

These fats are solid at room temperature. Saturated fats are vital for hormone production & should not be cut out completely from your diet. People that crave carbohydrates are often deficient in saturated fats. You need them for healthy cell membranes, heart, liver, lung & kidney function, the immune system, healthy bones, omega 3 & 6 function and to assist in the bodies natural detoxification process.

These fats are mostly found in animal meats, by ensuring you are consuming (where ever possible)grass feed, organic animal meats & quality eggs, you can ensure you are consuming clean saturated fats, free from antibiotics & other nasty toxins! Consumption of raw milk & cream is another great way to get your saturated fat, as you will also be consuming enzymes and organisms that increase immunity to many pathogens that are reduced or inactivated through pasteurization. Coconut oil is another great source of saturated fat!

Monounsaturated Fats:

These fats are liquid at room temperature but can become solid in the refrigerator. Monounsaturated fats have significant health benefits, including the ability to reduce low-density cholesterol (LDL) which can build up as plaque in the vessels and arteries, increasing the chance of heart disease or stroke. Monounsaturated fats also increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL), known as good cholesterol. HDL is thought to decrease plaque in the arteries, and to take cholesterol found in the blood away from the arteries and into the liver, where it can be passed out of the body. In this way, HDL actually provides protection against heart disease and stroke. Monounsaturated fats are also able to reduce triglycerides, a form of fat found in the blood. Elevated levels of triglycerides are associated with diabetes and heart disease and can be caused by obesity.

These fats are found in many vegetables including pumpkin and squash; nuts including almonds, walnuts, macadamias & hazelnuts; Fish including herring, mackerel & eel. Avocadoes & Olive oil are also great sources of monounsaturated fats.

Polyunsaturated Fats:

These fats or oils are liquid in the refrigerator. Polyunsaturated fats can lower the level of bad cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL). It contains essential fatty acids (EFAs) such as omega-6s (linoleic acid) and omega-3s (alpha-linoleic acid) that are needed in our diet.

Sally Fallon, of Nourishing Traditions, recommends the importance of consuming a diet that is a near equal ratio of omega 3 & 6 fatty acids, to do this she recommends consuming organic & pasture fed dairy & animal products & to avoid vegetable oils.

Fatty fish, such as salmon, are packed with omega-3, whilst other great ways to ensure you are consuming these fats are in fish oils & flaxseed oils. Omega-6 can be found in eggs & poultry.

Trans Fats:

Finally we come to the fats that give fats a bad name, trans fats! These fats can cause a decrease in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) good cholesterol, and an increase in low-density lipoprotein (LDL). This process is what leads to health problems including but not limited to cardiovascular disease. These fats, include hydrogenated oils which have been man made, by adding hydrogen atoms to vegetable oils to increase their shelf life & to entice the foods to taste better. The body is unable to digest these fats properly.

Sources of trans fats include margarine, store bought cookies/biscuits, fried-foods, pies & cakes.

FIND BALANCE!

By understanding the difference between what fat is what, you should now be able to make wiser decisions when choosing your fats! However, this isn’t an invitation to go overboard. Remember, it’s all about balance and listening to your body & ensuring that you are consuming the right amounts of good quality proteins & complex carbohydrates that your body needs, as well as ensuring that you are getting these ever so important fats!

A Truly Raw High Protein Smoothie

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