I'm starting a series on food. Specifically posts that will focus on a food group, but I'll probably decide to post about some diets and whatever else informational that comes to mind. Today though I am going to focus on fat. This is probably one of the most difficult concepts for people to grasp now days, but FAT IS GOOD! Yes it makes food taste good, but it is also so good for us! Isn't that exciting? Also, not to blow your minds or anything, but fat can help you LOOSE weight! YES! I am totally serious and this is based from science people, SCIENCE!
When you eat fat with sugar it makes it so that you don't have a crazy sugar spike that raises your insulin levels and makes you gain weight. Saturated fat plays an important roll in the communication of your metabolism and for your body to know how much insulin to produce. (If your not getting enough saturated fat, then your metabolism gets all whacked out) Also, when you eat fat, especially fat with longer chain lengths (molecularly speaking) they take longer for your body to use, giving your body longer to use the calories in the fat and the other food you eat with it as well as keeping you full longer. Don't focus on the chain lengths, it's pointless and if you do get it all figured out your body is going to get unbalanced from you trying to eat just one type of fat. If you eat healthy fats from meats, dairy, and healthy nut oils you will get a good variety of short to long chained fatty acids.
The shorter chained fatty acids absorb quickly into the body, giving you an initial boost of energy. They also have anti-microbial properties to them which kills viruses, yeast, and harmful bacteria, protecting your body from whatever you put into it from the start. Medium chained fatty acids also have anti-microbial properties.
You must have fat for brain health. The brain can consist of as much as 60% fat. The calories in mothers milk is 50% from fat, most of that is saturated fat. Children need good fats and cholesterol for proper development, especially for the brain. If your brain isn't healthy then the rest of you isn't going to be ether. Fat is important for the absorption of vitamins A, D, E, and K. If you have a vitamin deficiency may be you might just need more fat to be able to absorb that vitamin.
Lets talk a bit about saturated fat. I know what you'r thinking, "Run away! It's evil! It's going to give you heart disease!" Well, no, it's not. Before the 1920's heart disease was extremely rare in America. How can this be when it is now the main cause of death? Heart disease has bean the main cause of death since the mid-1950's even. From 1910 to 1970 the proportion of animal fat in the American diet went down from 83% to 62%. American used to eat 18 pounds of butter per person a year, and now it is only 4. The cholesterol intake has only increased by 1% so it can't be that, but vegetable and refined oil consumption raised 400%! The consumption of sugar and processed foods increased by 60%. I doubt that this is the only reason for heart disease, but all of the studies of people groups that I have seen show that the groups that eat only healthy fats mostly from animals and some from nut and olive and none from processed vegetable oil such as from corn, soy etc show that the people who eat a lot of saturated fats and good cholesterol had less heart problems, were a healthier weight, happier and generally healthier in every way. I know that this seems really weird to you, but their is very little proof that diets low in saturated fat or cholesterol lowers heart disease.
Here are some nifty facts that I pulled out of Nourishing Traditions:
- Cell membranes consist of at least 50% saturated fatty acids giving them integrity.
- For calcium to be effectively incorporated into your bones, at least 50% of your fat intake needs to be saturated
- Saturated fats lower LP, a substance in the blood that indicates a proneness to heart disease
- Saturated fats protect the liver from Alcohol and toxins
- Saturated Fats enhance the immune system
- Saturated fats are needed for your body to be able to use other fatty acids properly
- Saturated fats surround the heart for it to use in times of stress. Yes, your heart loves saturated fat, it is its the best food for it.
- Short and medium chain saturated fatty acids protect us from harmful microorganisms in the digestive tracts.
- People who live in the tropics that use coconut and palm oil have less intestinal and bacterial problems than people in the tropics that use processed vegetable oils because coconut and palm oil kill harmful bacteria and fungus.
- Cholesterol actually protects from free radical damage
- Like certain oils, cholesterol can become damaged by high heat such as high temperature frying, which can cause damage to arterial cells and plaque buildup in the arteries.
- Bile salts are made from cholesterol, which is vital to digestion.
- Dietary cholesterol is important for maintaining the health of the intestinal wall.
The countries where people live the longest (Japan, Switzerland, Greece, and Austria) eat healthy fat, and little processed foods. Japan has increased in longevity since World War II along with an increase of fat and animal protein in their diet. The Swiss eat one of the fattiest diets in the world, but are second in longevity. I seriously think that we really used to have a good thing going for us, and as evidence shows, people in Japan, Switzerland and other countries can be healthy eating the way our forefathers ate, why cant we? Their is all this nonsense about diets and what is best and what isn't. and so much confusion when we just need to get back to our roots. Being healthy, and eating healthy isn't difficult. It isn't bland, and tasteless. It's full of fatty goodness, rich spices, and beautiful herbs that give our bodies so much nutrition and vibrant health.
The good fats:
(I am not including shellfish, pork, or other unclean meets simply because... well, parasites are nasty.)
Fats from grass fed beef, goats, mutton/lamb, etc.
Fats from grass fed dairy products (better if raw)
Flax seed oil (high in omega 3's)
Macadamia nut oil (balances your omega 3's and 6's)
Olive oil (has a long fatty acid chain so it can make you put on more fat than butter or coconut oil. Odd isn't it?)
Peanut oil (in small amounts because of its high omega 6 content)
Sessame oil (in small amounts because of its high omega 6 content)
Palm Oil (very good for you, can be used at high heat, and is high in lauric acid which is anti microbial.)
Coconut oil (also extremely good for you, can be used at high heat, and is high in lauric acid)
Oils to not ingest:
Safflower, Corn, Sunflower, Soybean, Cottonseed, and Canola oils. These oils go rancid easily. They can not be heated, or they go rancid, creating free radicals that damage your cells. Canola can cause a deficiency in vitamin E which is necessary for a healthy heart, and can also cause heart lesions from its erucic acid content.
I hope you found this beneficial. You can subscribe over on the side bar with either email, blogger, or google.
further reading
On coconut oil. Highly recommend you read this! http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/10/22/coconut-oil-and-saturated-fats-can-make-you-healthy.aspx
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