The Importance of FAT in our diets
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Hello lovely people and welcome to this week’s blog post on fat. This is a highly contested topic within the health community with opinions ranging from both ends of the spectrum. As I am not a doctor, nothing I write about here is medical or nutrition advice, this post is simply meant to be informative and give you some tips that you may choose to implement into your own lifestyle.
With that being said, one tip I like to keep in mind in my own cooking and eating is to stick to whole, natural, minimally processed foods. This applies 100% to the fats that you are consuming. Make sure that what you put into your body is high quality and that it comes from a reputable source.
Another caveat, if you are trying to lose weight be aware of the number of calories you are consuming even if they come from a good source. Fat cannot be blamed exclusively for weight gain though it is a calorie-dense food with 9 calories per gram so just be conscious of that if weight loss is your goal.
Today I will lay out the following fat-related things:
Types of fat
Why specific ones are good for us
What to look for when shopping
Cooking tips to easily incorporate these fats into your diet
First, let’s outline the different types of fat and the foods that fall into each category [1]:
1. Saturated fats. Typically solid at room temperature. Naturally occurring foods. Majority come from animal products.
I.e. fatty beef, lamb, pork, poultry with skin, lard and cream, butter, and cheese.
2. Trans fat. Lower the good cholesterol in your body (HDL) and raise your bad cholesterol (LDL) thus increasing your risk of heart attack or stroke. While there are a few forms of naturally occurring trans fats (made in the gut of some animals and then turned into meat or dairy products), most trans fat on the market is used in highly processed and fried foods.
I.e. doughnuts, pie crusts, biscuits, frozen pizza, cakes, stick margarines, and other spreads.
3. Monounsaturated fats. Typically liquid at room temperature and may reduce your risk of stroke and heart attack if consumed moderately.
I.e. Olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, sesame oil, and avocado.
4. Polyunsaturated fat. This is one of the best fats for our bodies as they are rich in Vitamin E, Omega-3s, Omega-6s, and can reduce the risk of stroke or heart attack.
I.e. Walnuts, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring, and albacore tuna.
Foods high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are great for us. These healthy fats can decrease the risk of stroke and heart attack, can help to promote a healthy weight, and are even good for our skin, hair, and nails. They’re practically nature’s drugstore!
Some foods that contain high amounts of these two healthy fats include [2]:
Avocados. Rich in monounsaturated fats (think: an increase in the good cholesterol and a decrease in the bad), Vitamin E, and they’re packed with healthy protein and potassium.
Butter + Ghee. The fatty acids, omega 6 and omega 3 found in healthy butters (raw, grass-fed, organic), can help with proper brain function as well as the improvement of skin health. Butter is a great source of these acids since the body is unable to produce them on its own [2]. Ghee is a form of purified butter that contains more fermented cultures than traditional butter. Though ghee has a higher amount of saturated fat, the particular variety found in it is a source of short-chain fatty acids which are easier to digest than long-chain acids.
Coconut oil. This oil is super rich in medium-chain fatty acids, which are easy for your body to digest. Because these acids are not stored in your body as fats, they instantly infuse cells with energy. Coconut oil is also considered to be a good anti-inflammatory food due to its antioxidants, and can even help reduce arthritis [2].
Omega-3s. Because your body isn’t able to produce these fatty acids on its own, it is important to consume foods high in these acids in order to supply our bodies with their healthy benefits. There are three different types of omega-3s: Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). DHA and EPA are the most preferred and are commonly found in sea-foods like salmon. ALA, is found in plant based foods, including certain nuts and seeds, as well as high quality cuts of meat like grass-fed beef [2].
What to look for when shopping:
As I wrote above, the fat that you consume should come from a reputable source and be of high quality. Meat for example should come from a happy animal, preferably organic and free range and grass-fed when possible. The same applies to dairy. When shopping for fish the priority should be placed on wild varieties and you should take into account your geographical location as the longer it takes to ship a fish across the world, the less fresh it will be. For example, I am currently living in Prague and as a land-locked country there is limited access to fresh fish. Though many of the close northern countries (Norway, Finland, the Netherlands) have an abundance of fresh fish, meaning that the fish sold in Prague from these countries will likely be cheaper and fresher than those shipped from Alaska.
How to incorporate these foods into your cooking:
Nuts/ seeds: sprinkle over a salad or stir into your morning oatmeal. Nuts are wonderfully versatile and can be used in either sweet or savory dishes.
Avocado: This one is quite simple because avocado is good on everything. My favorite ways to eat it are spread on thick toast, thinly sliced and added to a chicken dish, or made into guacamole.
Ghee: Ghee is a fabulous cooking oil with a higher smoke point than olive oil or even coconut oil.
Coconut oil: This oil is also quite versatile as it can be used as a body moisturizer or to add extra flavor to a dish. Two drinks that incorporate coconut oil are: bulletproof coffee and superfood hot cocoa- (recipe here: https://www.instagram.com/p/BdAiieeBkz3/)
So what are your thoughts on fat? Do you already eat some or all of the fats above? What is your favorite way to incorporate these foods into your cooking? Please leave a comment down below or on the matching photo on instagram and let’s start a thread going :)
If you have any requests for future blog topics please send them to my email or instagram (@alexandratempletonfit). I wish you all a fabulous rest of the week and will see you all back here next week for an exciting new post :)
xoxo,
Alexandra
Disclaimer: All material on this website is provided for your information only and may not be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action or inaction should be taken based solely on the contents of this information; instead, readers should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to their health and well-being.
Sources:
1. Light, Zuzka. “Dietary Fats.” About Heart Attacks, 6 Apr. 2017, www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/fats/dietary-fats
2. “Dietary Fats.” About Heart Attacks, American Heart Association, 23 Mar. 2014, www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/fats/dietary-fats