Good Fats vs. Bad Fats

Ok, so what’s the deal about fats?  On almost every aisle in the grocery store, you see signs and labels low-fat, fat-free, or absent of any trans fat.   So why is America’s weight problem continually growing?   Why is the “low fat” craze not seeing results?  The big fat truth is the body needs fat. In fact, “good fats” actually can help you lose weight.

Dr. Joseph Mercola, an osteopathic physician who is also board-certified in family medicine and trained in both traditional and natural medicine, states in his Top 12 Healthy Myths, “This low-fat myth may have done more harm than any other dietary recommendation. The low-fat fad leads to increased consumption of trans-fats, which increases your risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. The bottom line is eating fat will NOT make you fat! The consumption of too much grains and too much sugar, particularly fructose, is what is fueling the obesity epidemic in America.”

Author of  The Rosedale Diet, Ron Rosedale, M.D., states “Good fat turns you into a wonderful fat burner. It truly is a miracle food.”

What are fats and what is their function?

Fats, like protein and carbohydrates, are macronutrients used by the body for energy.  Fats protect our organs, produce hormones, support cell growth, and help your body absorb certain vitamins and nutrients. Did you know that the brain is 60% fat?  Fats are absolutely essential to brain function, including learning abilities, memory retention and moods.  An adequate supply of healthy fats is vital for your body to function optimally.

Bad Fats and Their Effects

Trans fats are manmade fats produced by using high temperatures and hydrogenation. The result is a fat that is virtually impossible for our bodies to break down.  Many processed foods contain trans fats.

TFAs tend to raise total LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and lower HDL (good cholesterol) and have been thought to contribute to degenerative diseases such as diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer’s.  Furthermore, the full health repercussions of the metals used in the process (mostly nickel or aluminum) are not totally understood to date.

What to look for

Beware of food labels with partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated oil.   Margarine, shortening and fried food contain trans fats.  Also beware of labels with “no trans fats”.  0% trans fat” does NOT mean “no trans fat”.  A food product can still contain up to 2.2 grams of trans fat in its “standard serving”, and yet claim zero percent (0 %) trans fats.

This is what I call “legal deception”.

Good Fats

There are numerous schools of thought on this subject.   The following is my conclusion, based on my research and what makes sense to me!  Remember, the more natural a food is, the less processed, the better.  Just pure commonsense!

For cooking:

Organic Butter (preferably from raw milk)

Organic Virgin Coconut Oil

Oils – cold pressed, preferably organic*

*Cold pressed oils are expeller pressed in a heat-controlled environment to keep temperatures below 120 degrees F.  Different oils have different uses, and each performs best within a certain range of temperatures.  Some are made for high heat cooking, while others have intense flavors that are best enjoyed by drizzling directly on to food. The smoke point of an oil or fat is the temperature at which it gives off smoke. The smoke point of oil also depends on its purity and age at the time of measurement.

For salads and pesto:

Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

To balance out your intake of healthy fat, be sure to eat raw fats, such as those from raw dairy products, avocados and a high-quality source of animal-based omega-3 fats, such as fish oil.

More on Coconut Oil

The more I learn about coconut oil, the more I am convinced of its health benefits.  I started cooking and baking with it 6 months ago.   After reading the article “Coconut Oil and Alzheimer’s Disease”, I have started taking it by the spoonful – for brain health.

Benefits of coconut oil:

  • Promoting your heart health
  • Promoting weight loss when and if you need it
  • Supporting your immune system health
  • Supporting a healthy metabolism
  • Providing you with an immediate energy source
  • Helping to keep your skin healthy and youthful looking
  • Supporting the proper functioning of your thyroid gland

Optimizing your health

So, remember, you do need a certain amount of healthy fat.  The key is to avoid the unhealthy varieties.   The easiest way to accomplish this is to simply eliminate processed foods, which are high in all things detrimental to your health: sugar, simple carbs, high fructose corn syrup and dangerous types of fats.

IN a nutshell, a healthy diet is simply a natural diet of REAL foods.  That is the type of “eating pattern” you will want to strive for if you want to optimize your health.

Purchase Organic Virgin Coconut Oil from www.iherb.com.  When you sign up for an account, please use the referral code LOT867 or lynnlotto@gmail.com and you will receive $5.00 discount on your first order.

We currently use Source Naturals Extra Virgin Coconut Oil.   I would also consider ordering the following brands of Organic Virgin Coconut Oil that Iherb offers:   Nutiva, Garden of Life, Jarrow and NOW.  Great products at great prices.