Myth: Fat is “bad” and needs to be eliminated from your diet completely.
First of all 'not all fats are created equal' and secondly, fat is actually an important part of a body’s essential nutrients.
...In fact, the FDA
food guidelines insist that a healthy diet should be made of up 20-30% fat
because it provides energy and helps to transport vitamins such as Vitamin A,
E, K and D throughout the body.
Fat has developed a terrible reputation due to the fact that a single gram contains more
than twice the calories than a gram of carbohydrates or proteins.
Unfortunately,
recent studies have shown a typical American diet is made up of 40% fat. This is a number that certainly needs to be
addressed and lowered. However, there also needs to be a bit of ‘fat education’
promoted to those with such fat-laden diets.
“Bad”
fats that raise cholesterol and increase blood pressure are Saturated Fats and Trans-Fats. Too many Saturated and Trans-fats can also increase a
person’s risk for heart disease.
Saturated
fats are typically found in animal products such as:
- · Bacon
- · Poultry skin
- · Ribs
- · Hotdogs
- · Sausage
- · Coconut oil
- · Palm oil
High
levels of Saturated Fats can also be found in dairy products such as:
- · Cheese
- · Sour cream
- · Butter
- · Ice Cream
Trans-fats
are made from liquid oils. Trans-fats
are processed chemically making the oil a solid or semi-solid when brought to
room temperature. Trans-fat is typically found in partially hydrogenated oil
which is an ingredient in most packaged sweets, baked goods and snack foods and
margarine.
Instead
of these unhealthy fats that make up 40% of so many American diets, 20-30% of a
healthy diet should consist of healthy fats: Monounsaturated, Polyunsaturated, and Omega-3 Fatty Acids.
These fats are more natural, less
processed and therefore the body recognizes them as being a helpful tool rather
than a something that should be stored.
Monounsaturated fats are found in:
- · Olive oil
- · Canola oil
- · Nut
Polyunsaturated fats are found in
- · Fish
- · Flaxseed
- · Walnuts
- · Soybeans
Omega-3 Fatty Acids are found in:
- · Cold water fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel and anchovies
- · Flaxseed oil
- · Flax seed
- · Walnuts
Omega-3 fatty acid is a polyunsaturated
fatty aid that helps the body to build cell membranes in the brain. It also control blood clotting and it has
proved to provide benefits to those suffering from cancer and rheumatoid
arthritis.
…The
bottom line is – the more you fuel your body with all of the nutrients,
minerals and vitamins that it requires – in the quantities that it expects and
needs, the more efficiently and effectively it will function.
The
body is a machine and it operates at peak performance when it is fueled with
‘high-test fuel’ in the proper amounts at the proper times. We cannot expect our body to do what we want
it to, to make drastic changes and to maintain them - unless we start by giving
it what it wants and needs as well.
Work
with your body’s needs instead of against them, and you’ll be surprised at how
much faster you can reach your health and fitness goals!
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