This week I want you to add....
GOOD FATS
I can't tell you how many times I have heard people say that they couldn't eat avocado because is was too high in fat! That logic just doesn't make sense to me anymore. I have learned that fats are just not created equal and really neither are calories! I remember back in the day being concerned with counting calories and fat grams. Now for years I have not even bothered! I really think the thing that is important is WHAT you are eating not how many calories or fat grams it contains!
So I became a INGREDIENT freak! I like to know what is in what I am eating! I find if I am just aware of what I am putting in my mouth the other stuff doesn't really matter!
Alright so here is the low down on fats! Remember this is just a basic list but I tried to make it simple yet thorough.
So I became a INGREDIENT freak! I like to know what is in what I am eating! I find if I am just aware of what I am putting in my mouth the other stuff doesn't really matter!
Alright so here is the low down on fats! Remember this is just a basic list but I tried to make it simple yet thorough.
Fats and Oils The Good the Bad and the Ugly!
Good:Eat as needed or wanted, best in it's purest least heated form.
Unsaturated Fat - Cold Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Flax Seed Oil, Virgin Coconut Oil, Grape Seed Oil, nuts and seeds, Sesame Butter(Tahini), Almond Butter, Most nut and seed butters, Olives, Coconuts, and Avocados
Bad:Try really hard to not eat much of! When you choose to eat it, try to eat in its most natural form.
Saturated Fat - Butter, Milk, Cream Cheese, Yogurt, Ice Cream, Sour Cream, Meats, and Eggs Animal Products typically contain a lot of Saturated Fat. A good clue is, if it comes from an animal, it contains saturated fat. I do not think these are as bad if they come from properly fed animals that have not been given antibiotics, hormones and other harmful things. Animal forms of Saturated Fat have been said to contribute to heart disease so not overdoing is a good idea. They are also very mucus forming so people with sinus, allergy or lung issues find they do much better without them.
Bad:Try really hard to not eat much of! When you choose to eat it, try to eat in its most natural form.
Saturated Fat - Butter, Milk, Cream Cheese, Yogurt, Ice Cream, Sour Cream, Meats, and Eggs Animal Products typically contain a lot of Saturated Fat. A good clue is, if it comes from an animal, it contains saturated fat. I do not think these are as bad if they come from properly fed animals that have not been given antibiotics, hormones and other harmful things. Animal forms of Saturated Fat have been said to contribute to heart disease so not overdoing is a good idea. They are also very mucus forming so people with sinus, allergy or lung issues find they do much better without them.
Ugly:You basically just want to avoid these if you want to lose weight and be healthy!
Trans fats, Better known as Partially Hydrogenated Oils and Interesterified fats - Margarine, Chips, Crackers, Pastries, and snack foods in general. Read labels, if it has any trans fat or says partially hydrogenated anything in the ingredients then you don’t want it. These fats are unnatural processed products that our bodies are unable to process effectively. They contribute in a huge way to excess body fat and cancer causing free radicals in our systems. There are now some snack foods that don’t contain this type of fat. They aren’t really "healthy" but a much better option than those "Ugly fats."
It was so great when I realized that I could eat all those rich creamy things that are so good! I just had to make sure they were made with the good kinds of fats! So go ahead it is VERY important that your body gets fat both for healthy brain and metabolic function! I found that all those years of me on my NO FAT diet actually slowed down my metabolisim and made me fatter! You may have noticed that a lot of the recipes on my blog call for these good fats! Trust me we get plenty around here and it doesn't make us fat! So go ahead and indulge! If you want you can make yourself dessert every night for the rest of your life as long as you make sure it is with...
GOOD FATS!
6 comments:
Thank goodness for those healthy fats. I just tried a chocolately carob pudding/pie filling recipe, and it is quite tasty. It will be great topped with your whipped coconut cream! yummy! Tam, take a look at Spencer and Renes blog if you haven't lately. Hope to see ya soon. Love Mom
First I have to thank you for the whip cream with coconut milk idea- it is so amazing! I love it so much! And, then I have to say- isn't coconut oil considered a "saturated fat" as well as palm kernel oil? I mean, they are both medium chain fatty acids and good for you, but sort of more saturated than unsaturated. That is what I thought was true, anyway. I just think any whole, cold pressed plant based oils/fats are better than heated oils, and those from animal sources. Anyway- its awesome you are doing these posts to help these people out!
Trish the dish: You are right about coconut oil and other tropical oils they do have quite a bit of saturated fat. But from what I have learned and my experience because it is a fruit it's molecular structure is different then saturated fat from animals. Your body is able to process it much more effectively. It simply knows better what to do with it instead of storing it. We actually all need some saturated fat especially children for brain growth etc. We eat it ALL the time and I who can put on weight like nobodies business have not notice a problem with it. Also coconut oil can be heated and still be good for you because it is more stable. So it is the BEST oil to cook and fry with other oils including extra virgin olive oil are best not heated too high at that point they become more like the partially hydrogenated oils and your body again doesn't process them as effectively and will store them.
If you would like a nice visual experiment as to why the coconut oil is better try taking some butter and/or margarine in one hand and some coconut oil in the other hand. Watch to see which one melts faster and becomes liquid at body temperature. I say the faster it melts and more liquid it becomes at body temperature the less likely it is to clog your arteries!
Well I know coconut oil is better for you, I'm just saying that technically it is a "saturated fat". I wanted to make sure I had it right.
Do you have any menu ideas. And also any ideas on planning your food storage thanks
Anonymous: I have never been a good menu planner but I have been working on it. As I get better at it and find what works for me I plan to share it. My list of staples may help with food storage ideas. You can find it at http://simplehealthytasty.blogspot.com/2008/08/my-list-of-staples-and-my-pantry.html
I do hope to share more food storage ideas in the near future.
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