Good Fats vs Bad Fats

We need to eat fat to burn fat. I know it sounds crazy but the answer is simple actually. By showing your body that it is getting a consistent source of fat from your diet, it will be more willing to let go of the fat it is currently holding. Calories in = calories out still holds true of course & portion control is vital like all food. I’ve got some tips on portion control to follow.

Ok lets look at some info on fats and what’s types of fats are good.

Many people believe that fat is unhealthy and that eating it will make them fat, so it’s often the first macronutrient people cut out when trying to get lean. This is a common mistake, because not all fats are bad; in fact, some are essential to the body and must be obtained from your diet.

WHY ARE FATS IMPORTANT?

Fats have several important roles in the body, including:

• Providing you with energy (1g of fat contains 9kcals, as opposed to just 4kcals in 1g of carbohydrate)
• Absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K (fat must be present in order for the body to absorb these vitamins)
• Protecting your organs, nerves and tissues, and helping to regulate body temperature
• Every cell membrane in the body needs fat for protection, and also to grow new healthy cells
• Fats are involved in the production of essential hormones in the body
• Maintenance of healthy hair, skin and nails

As you can see, fats are vital for good health –

WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF FAT?

There are 3 types of fat:

• Saturated – animal fats, butter, eggs, cheese, coconut oil
• Monounsaturated – nuts, avocados, extra virgin olive oil, peanut oil, sesame oil
• Polyunsaturated – sunflower oil, walnut oil, flaxseed oil, and oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring and trout

Saturated fats from meat and dairy products were wrongly demonized in the 1950s because of their association with increased bad cholesterol and coronary heart disease. For years, we were told to replace these saturated fats with polyunsaturated vegetable oils, margarines and low-fat products.

New research, however, suggests that saturated fats from butter, milk, cream, eggs and coconut oil actually increase good cholesterol and are beneficial for the heart – so don’t throw away your yolks, folks! Now, just because I’m saying these fats are good for you doesn’t mean you should sit down and eat a whole block of cheddar. Fats do contain lots of calories, after all, so you need to eat everything in moderation and in line with your own personal energy demands.

Saturated fats such as butter and coconut oil are also far more stable at high temperatures, making them perfect for cooking with.

Monounsaturated fats, found in things such as extra virgin olive oil, avocados and nuts, are also great for increasing good cholesterol. This is why a handful of nuts, seeds or olives and half an avocado make a perfect snack. Extra virgin olive oil is best used raw in salad dressings. Unlike sugary cereal bars or chocolate, these snacks will give you sustained energy and keep your blood-sugar levels stable.

Polyunsaturated fats can be found in things such as oily fish like salmon and mackerel and are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fats are considered an EFA (essential fatty acid) because they cannot be synthesized in the body, and so they must be obtained from the diet. Omega-3 fats are considered anti-inflammatory, helping to reduce the risk of chronic diseases.

For some more ideas on good fats to eat check out this blog post from astro nutrition
https://authoritynutrition.com/10-super-healthy-high-fat-foods/

BAD FATS

The fats we need to cut down on are not just found in doughnuts, pastries and fast-foods. They are hidden in many low-fat diet products. Yes, low-fat ready meals may be low in saturated fat, but they are often blasted with hydrogenated trans-fats(Man made) to increase their shelf life – and these are the fats we really need to avoid. My advice is to avoid ready meals and processed foods as much as you can, and try to cook and prepare all your own meals.