So probably by now you're used to me telling you how each of the things i've chosen to write about are things our bodies really, truly need. fat is no different. Dietary fat is essential for the digestion, absorption, and transport of the fat-soluble vitamins and phytochemicals such as carotenoids and lycopenes. It depresses gastric secretions, slows gastric emptying and facilitates digestion. basically all that boils down to… you need it. (Side Note: your fat-soluble vitamins are A, E, D and K)
Another topic related to fat that might have heard of are fatty acids. Again, the name refers to its chemical structure… which isn't really that important for you to know. what you do need to know is that they are important sources of fuel because when the body metabolizes them they yield large quantities of ATP (ATP=the energy your cells need to do anything).
So lets talk about the different kinds of fat. the not so nice fats are your saturated and trans fats. saturated fats come mainly from animal food sources. this is your cheese, fat on a steak, full fat dairy products (think solid at room temperature). These fats can raise your LDL in your cholesterol, which is bad. There's also a potential that they can aid in developing type 2 diabetes. trans fats are mostly synthetically made through food processing. When looking at the ingredients list you'll see things like "partially hydrogenated palm oil". These fats can also increase your LDL (bad cholesterol) and decrease your HDL (good cholesterol).
Now for the good stuff. monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs). Studies show that a diet rich in MUFAs and PUFAs can improve your blood cholesterol and fight against heart disease and may even aid in preventing type 2 diabetes. foods made up of these fats are liquid at room temperature, such as olive oil. you'll also find them in things like avocado, nuts, and even some fish and poultry.
as you can see, there's some really good choices when it comes to putting fat in your diet. fat should be 20-35% of your diet every day. i'll say that again in case you didn't get it the first time… fat should be 20-35% of your diet every day. So while i'm all for egg white omelets and no dressing on salads, and all that good stuff… but maybe, just maybe, we are depriving ourselves of something our bodies really need in our strive to be healthy.
I'm definitely not saying to go crazy in this category. but i am saying maybe it's okay to add a full egg to your omelet. maybe it's okay to make your own salad dressing with some olive oil, and it's definitely okay to add avocado to anything and everything. when it comes to dairy, stick to the low-fat options. You could go no fat too… i just think the low fat stuff tastes better. if you guys haven't figured it out yet i'm trying to teach you that it's all about balance. there's no tricks or gimmicks to being healthy. depriving yourself and not giving any wiggle room in your diet…. in my experience those are the types of things that cause us to give up on being healthy. i find that with my diet when i restrict something… it's the very thing i later end up binging on. And if you think your diet is really healthy and you workout all the time and don't see any results… maybe it's time to start digging a little deeper into what you eat.
on the flip side, there are some of us that have no problem indulging in dietary fat… aka fast food, ice cream, etc. word of caution my friends… you could be setting yourself up for some serious health issues. do i love in-n-out? heck yes i do. Do i eat it every week?… sadly, no. i let myself indulge, but in my day-to-day diet i really try to be aware of what i'm putting in my body. and that's really the bottom line here… balance. hopefully i've given you some food for thought here. questions? you know the drill, email me, message me, text me, call me, we'll chat.
Leslie
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