What's the Skinny on Fat?

Up until a few short years ago people were taught, that in order to lose weight, they must reduce the amount of fat in their diet to next to nothing. Well what if that was no longer true? What if there were actual fats that help you lose weight?

In fact, extremely low fat diets are  hazardous to your health. You run the risk of becoming deficient in the healthy omega-3 fatty acids which reduce inflammation in the body, and fat soluble vitamins, particulary vitamins A and E which are highly antioxidant. Fats are also the predominate energy source for your heart, liver and other organs and you need it to make cell membranes. You need at least 30g of fat in your diet every day so you might as well make it the good kind.

So what are the good fats? Good fats fall into 2 categories:
1. Polyunsaturated fats - these include the highly anti-inflammatory omega 3 fatty acids from linseed/flaxseed, tuna, salmon, mackeral and tuna.
2. Monounsaturated fats - these include avocados, nuts, seeds and healthy oils such as olive, macadamia and avocado oils. These fats help to lower your bad cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) which are responsible for clogging up the artery walls.

Conversely a healthy diet should aim to reduce the amount of unhealthy fats. These also fall into two categories:
1. Saturated fats - These are the fats from animal sources such as those found in dairy and around the outside of a cut of meat. They increase the amount of LDL (bad cholesterol) and decrease the amount of good, or HDL, cholesterol in the blood. The main plant source containing saturated fats is palm oil. This is used often in processed foods because it is so inexpensive. There is also evidence that saturated fats contribute to certain cancers such as ovarian and prostate cancers.
2. Trans fatty acids - these fats are found in foods where a polyunsaturated oil has been solidifed for the purpose of manufacturing a food. They can be found in foods containing shortening and margarine such as processed bakery items. The body has a hard time processing these fats and there is evidence they lead to heart disease and diabetes. All the more reason to remember the philosophy "Fresh is Best".

What about the fat burning oils?
There is another class of fats called 'medium chain triglycerides' which the body find very easy to process as they are absorbed straight into the circulation that goes to the liver. These fats do not get stored as fat and in fact contribute to fat burning in the body. Coconut oil contains a large amount of the fatty acid 'lauric acid' which is a medium chain triglyceride.

Are you nuts?
Many of my weight-loss clients look at me as though I may be a little crazy when I recommend they consume a handful of raw nuts and seeds daily. Nuts? Aren't they high in fat? Nuts are highly nutrititious containing many trace minerals we struggle to consume on a daily basis and monounsaturated fats which are great for heart health. Here are some example of nutritious nuts and ideas for how to prepare them.

Brazil nut:- the richest source of selenium, a trace mineral which is highly antioxidant (ie. anti-aging and anti-inflammatory). Brazil nuts can be processed into a paste which you can use in place of butter or margarine.
Walnuts:- A rich source of healthy fatty acids and vitamin E which is important for heart health in it's own right. Sprinkle chopped almonds and walnuts on breakfast cereals or muesli.
Macadamia:- The richest source of monounsaturated fatty acids meaning it is invaluable for improving your blood lipid (cholesterol) profile. Crumble macadamias into your next risotto or onto fish.

Find out more about the nutritious properties of nuts at Nuts For Life