Here’s the Skinny on Fat!
Many people have a love-hate relationship with fat; we love the way it tastes, hate the thought of it making us fat. The truth of the matter is, fat does NOT make us fat. In fact, eliminating fat from our diets can lead to weight gain! Fat is an essential macronutrient, required by every cell membrane in our body. It protects us from a number of health threats and is required for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.
Unhealthy fats can increase our risk of heart disease and type 2 Diabetes. Healthy fats can actually reduce your risk of these health conditions. When it comes to choosing which fats are most beneficial, there are a few things to consider.
When cooking with high heat, choose fats that can withstand these temperatures, like coconut oil or butter (use butter in moderation). Certain fats actually change chemical structure in high temperatures, turning into trans fats, such as olive oil or grape seed oil. Extra virgin olive oil is great in it’s raw form when making your own salad dressing or drizzling on vegetables in place of butter.
Stay away from trans fats completely. They are commonly found in packaged cookies, margarine, chips and baked goods to keep foods “fresh” longer. There is strong evidence that they increase the risk of heart disease, one of the leading killers in our country. Be sure to steer clear of fat-free foods as well; the fat content is replaced by sugar and other unhealthy, chemically-derived additives.
How do fat-free products make us fat? Fat helps us feel full longer and regulate our hunger signals. By taking it out, we crave foods that give us an instant feeling of hunger satisfaction: sugar, sugar, and more sugar. These foods come in the form of bagels, bread, doughnuts, pastries, candy, granola bars, chocolate bars, etc. It helps us feel full for the short-term, but our blood sugar levels drop shortly after, leaving us hungry for our next sugar fix. When we consume excess sugar (which is all too common), it turns into fat in our bodies and leads to abnormalities with our blood sugar regulation. Long-term, this can lead to insulin resistance, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, disordered eating, acne, mood disturbances, and abdominal weight gain to name a few.
Focus on fats that will promote health. Heart-healthy fats are found in avocados, nuts and seeds such as almonds and walnuts, nut butters, tahini, flax seeds, and fatty coldwater fish, cold pressed extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil. Remember, fat is essential for health, choose sources that will support your body!
What are your favourite healthy fat snacks? Comment below!
In Health,
Dr. Karen