We need fat. Healthy fats, rich in Omega 3 are an essential part of a balanced diet. Healthy fats have a healthy balance of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids. We need both.
Our bodies need fat for storing energy, protecting organs and insulating the body.
Healthy fats such as olive oil, contain oleic acid, which features in the traditional mediterranean diet. Oleic acid and other monounsaturated fats are known to be beneficial for heart and brain health and lowering blood sugar; reducing risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and dementia.
Healthy fats help reduce inflammation in the body, reducing chronic pain and the risk of many chronic illnesses.
The notion that fat actually makes you fat is is too simplistic and out-dated.
It's the quality of fats and lifestyle context which are key.
Essential fatty acids, from food, enables the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins:
A, E, D & K.
These vitamins are are stored by the body in the liver and in fat (adipose) tissue.
Vitamin A: leafy greens, beef, egg, milk, fish, orange veggies
Vitamin E: nuts, seeds, dark leafy greens and fish
Vitamin D: Sunlight, cod liver oil, egg, some sun-dried mushrooms & certain algae
Vitamin K: Dark leafy greens
Some foods, such as Turmeric are fat soluble - so add turmeric to meals with fats, to ensure absorption (note: also add black pepper to turmeric to enable the curcumin to be absorbed)
Sources of healthy fats:
EVOO
Consume plenty of extra virgin olive oil. Choose good quality olive oil, first cold pressed, preferably from Australia or Europe. Ensure it has the harvest date. Olive oil is a rich source of antioxidants, essential for cell repair which may reduce cancer risk and improve overall good health.
Seeds & nuts
Hemp, flax, chia, sunflower seeds and walnuts, cashews, almonds & macadamias are excellent sources of fat.
Sprouted seeds are ideal, source organic and non GMO where possible.
Soaking nuts makes nutrients more bioavailable to your body and makes them easier to digest.
Enjoy other fat sources in moderation. These all contain essential nutrients. Surround these foods with leafy greens, especially fresh herbs.
Fish is a powerhouse of heathy fats. Fish is also rich in other nutrients, such as protein, vitamin D, B-group vitamins and vitamin A.
Fish is nutrient rich, anti inflammatory and boosts brain and heart health. The vitamin D also helps promote good sleep.
Wild-caught fish is packed with nutrients beneficial for health.
Meat
Grass fed, humanely raised meats are rich in essential nutrients. Consumed in moderation, and surrounded by plant foods, you body will benefit from healthy Omegas, protein, vitamins and minerals in meat. A diet with plenty of fibre, will ensure the good gut bacteria have fuel to function properly, so your body can maximise the nutrient uptake from meat.
Buffalo meat (and milk) is rich in healthy fats and nutrients, so you can consume less.
Eggs
Are a rich source of many nutrients. The white part is high in protein, and the yellow part has most of the nutrients.
Eggs contain choline, important for heart and brain health (also present in red meat, nuts and legumes)
Avoid high temperature cooking, heat changes the composition of the fats, compromising any health benefits.
Grill, bake, steam, or sauté at low temperatures.
If using olive oil, enjoy it mostly cold or avoid over-heating it. Butter, coconut oil and avocado all have higher smoke points that olive oil, so they are often a better choice to cook with.
There are 3 main fat sources which are essential for good health.
Unsaturated fats:
Monounsaturated fats such as cold pressed virgin olive oil, avocado, sesame, cashews.
Polyunsaturated fats:
Walnuts, flaxseed (linseed), fish, sunflower seeds.
Saturated fats:
Meat, eggs, dairy, coconut oil.
Most of these foods will contain some Omega 3 and Omega 6, both of which are derived from food and are essential in the right balance.
We need more Omega 3 and less Omega 6. If you eat a balanced variety of healthy foods, your body will work out what to do with all that goodness!
All the foods mentioned in this blog, contain essential nutrients. The question shouldn't be "Is fat bad or good?" The question is, "what's the source of the fat and other lifestyle factors?"
Cheese:
Eating nothing but a block of cheese for the day has potential to raise cholesterol, confuse the body and overload the liver, and can't supply the body with all the nutrients it needs, however the cheese isn't the problem, the quantity of cheese and lack of fibre are the problem in this case.
Good quality cheese, from nurtured, mostly grass-fed animals, is a healthy addition to a balanced diet. Good cheeses contain protein, calcium, other minerals and also key fats. Include cultured cheeses too.
A balanced diet includes more unsaturated fat than saturated.
Look for good quality ingredients; pasture-raised meat, dairy and eggs, wild-caught fish and no GMO nuts, seeds & grains. Genetically modified food is often grown in soil depleted in essential micro-biology, producing food which has reduced nutrients and contains too many pesticides and herbicides.
Choose pasture-raised meat, dairy and eggs. Animals need a variety of grasses to be healthy and produce healthy meat, milk and cheeses.
Factory raised/feed lot animal products may contain more Omega 6 than
Omega 3.
This is the opposite to what our bodies need. These foods can be detrimental to health.The opposite is true in pasture-raised animal meat & eggs.
The factory raised animals, may be fed products which they are not naturally meant to consume, have a compromised gut microbiome and poor wellbeing.
Your friendly gut bacteria also need healthy fats, along with plenty of fibre. Surround your high quality fat and protein foods, with good quality plant based foods, legumes, fruit & veg.
Nature is clever:
There is a synergy in foods; interactions between nutrients, that occurs, to make sure minerals and vitamins can be absorbed, used or stored for your body to function properly. The vitamin K in this kale needs dietary fats to be absorbed into the body. Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption.
A diet that is lacking in sufficient fats may be unsatisfying, leading to wanting more, compensating with high sugar or empty carbohydrate foods to satisfy the appetite.
Health issues, such as weight gain and high LDL cholesterol ("bad" cholesterol) can be complex issues and are likely to involve other factors such as:
Inactivity, stress, too much processed food, chemically changed fats, empty carbohydrates, lack of plant foods, insufficient fibre and reduced good bacteria in the gut-microbiome.
It may be a good idea to have a blood test, and seek health advice to ascertain your individual needs.
Unhealthy Fat - trans fats, or hydrogenated oils.
Hydrogenated oils and trans fats, typically found in processed foods and margarine, which can increase LDL cholesterol (which can lead to clogged arteries).
Our bodies need some LDL, however your body makes its own. Trans fats can upset the balance, raising LDL cholesterol and reducing HDH cholesterol, having a negative impact on health.
These fats and oils were created earlier last century and became popular with food manufacturers since they stopped food spoiling and were seen as an answer to reducing use of saturated fats.
However, around the 1990's it was recognised as being detrimental to health and many food manufacturers have stopped using trans fats. Other chemically changed and hydrolysed fats have taken there place are detrimental to health.
How to choose healthy fats:
Choose foods rich in unsaturated fats , such as olive oil, almonds, cashews and avocado, and polyunsaturated fats: fish, flaxseed, walnuts. *Remember to source non GMO nuts & seeds.
Consume only good quality foods which contain saturated fats (meat, cheese, eggs) and surround these foods with veggies & fruits for nutrient absorption
Avoid high-heat frying and generally high heat cooking.
Avoid trans-fats altogether.
Bake/dry-roast your root vegetables, then toss through the olive oil afterwards. This preserves the benefits and integrity of the olive oil.
Consume plenty of vegetables, fruits and high fibre foods.
Avoiding animal fat?
Nuts and seeds, avocado, olives and coconut oil are all rich sources of healthy fats.
Flax-meal is a good source of plant-based fats and is a great egg-replacement. (Approx. 1 tablespoon flax meal to 3 tablespoons water).
Eat Well & Be the best you! Laura xx
If you're feeling confused about what to eat, have been around in circles with various diets and would love to get started on your health goals, book a time to chat. 30 mins free.
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