Juicy Health Tips from Jen at Vital Touch Wellness

So, if you haven't heard already, the "all fat is out" mentality is old news. Take that belief, delete it, and empty the trash so you have room for new information. Not all fat is bad for you!

Now, magazines and web articles have been filled with pronouncements about eating what is called "good fat:" unsaturated fats like olive oil, avocados, nuts, and seeds; and omega three fatty acids (see Walnut article below for more details on these power houses!) like fish and flaxseed oil. The "bad fats" according to popular media are saturated fats (predominantly animal fats like lard, butter, and milk) and trans fats- the science experiment that was created to replace saturated fat in many processed food products.

If you know anything about me and my approach to nutrition, you know that I almost never label foods "good" or "bad." Foods are neutral. Is a knife good or bad? Well, it depends on how you use it. Broccoli doesn't have a little halo, and ice cream isn't evilly conspiring to sabotage your health. All foods have different effects on our bodies, and those effects can change depending on your body type, your age, your mood, your energy level, and what the rest of your diet looks like.

However, I must admit that trans fats have me wavering. I just find it hard to trust a food that is made in a lab and stored on giant pallets in warehouses. Partially hydrogenated oils are plant-based oils that are pumped full of hydrogen and heated, destroying nutrients and adding toxic metals like nickel and cadmium, one result of which is atherosclerosis. As a replacement for liquid oils and saturated fats in manufactured foods because its artificially raised melting point makes it solid (better for baking),it has a longer shelf life, and is cheaper than butter and lard. However, trans fats are found to increase risk of heart disease more than saturated fats. It has been the predominant fat in margarine, Crisco, fried fast foods, store-bought baked goods common in packaged snack foods, bread, and many other processed food; however, the FDA is finally realizing this is a twenty-five year experiment gone wrong! Regulations against this additive are forcing manfacturers to find alternatives.

I still have to add this: don't beat yourself up if you find yourself savoring a Krispy Kreme or bag of Cheese Puffs. Trans fats may have some detrimental effects on our bodies, but you are NOT a bad person for finding nourishment in a Tastykake Crimpet. That's the problem with labeling foods "good" or "bad." If we are what we eat, then where does that leave us?

Let's consider the other criminal of the nutrition world - saturated fat. Evidently, if Americans are eating less of it as our incidence of heart disease, high cholesterol, and atherosclerosis goes higher and higher, this stuff isn't the villain it's been made out to be. Maybe, just maybe, certain people's bodies need some good ol' fashioned saturated fat! I'm talking about marbled steak, butter, wild game, and those much-maligned organ meats (yes, I said organ meats). If you find this pro-fat concept truly difficult to wrap your brain around, consider this: recently a lot of research is cropping up about the relationship of vitamin D and A deficiencies to many diseases - such as atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), depression, alzheimers, osteoporosis, and multiple sclerosis, to name a few. Some of the best sources of A and D are high quality saturated fats. By high quality, I'm talking about products from animals that are raised locally, in their natural environments, soaking up the sun, and eating what comes naturally to them (see below for tips). The animal products found in most grocery stores does not have the high amounts of omega-three fatty acids and vitamin A, D and K that are in organic, free range meat. Finding your saturated fats at local, humane farms ensures a happier animal as well as healthier meat.

The amount and type of fat your body needs depends on your body type, your gender, your age, and even the weather. Basically, there is no one right way for everyone to eat! Some people do really well eating a few light, unsaturated fats, and some people do really well eating good doses of saturated fats, and some do well somewhere in the middle. The key is learning to listen to your body so you can be flexible with your diet and stay healthy and balanced for life.

Benefits of Eating Fat:

fat is a nutrient, which means our bodies need it to function properly
keeps your body temperature higher in the winter
good for dry skin in the winter
makes food taste better!
secondary source of fuel
crucial component of cell membranes, nerve sheaths, and organs
necessary building block of many hormones
required to absorb vitamins A, D, E and K, vital for bone building and maintenance, vision, nerve development
omega-three fatty acids have many more benefits - see the walnut article below!

Tips on Embracing Fat:

Don't be fat-phobic! Understand that your body loves and needs high quality fats. According to Dr. Andrew Weil, a very low fat diet including less than 15 to 20 percent of calories from fats can make your food taste so uninteresting that you end up consuming more calories to get that full feeling! The amount and type of fats an individual needs can vary, based on metabolic type, blood type, ancestry, age, sex, and season. Your health counselor will help you figure out how much fat works best for your body.
Quality is more important than quantity: Whole, unprocessed food retains all of its nutrients. These nutrients work together in your body for optimal absorption and health. For instance, the meat and milk from grass fed, organic cows are so much higher in vitamins A and D as well as Omega-3 fatty acids (from the grass they eat and from being in the sun) that the saturated fat doesn't raise LDL cholesterol nearly as much as conventional meat and dairy products. Extra virgin, expeller pressed oils are the first pressing, so they have higher nutrient levels and aren't prone to rancidity (oxidation) from heat pressing.
Increase foods with monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids: These include avocados, extra virgin olive oil, nuts, seeds, beans, fish, and flaxseed. Many fish are so high in mercury and other environmental toxins that fish oil supplements are recommended for optimal omega-3 intake. Again, the amount you need can vary, and quality is essential, so ask your health counselor.
Reduce or avoid all trans fats: This is one fat you don't want to put your arms around! You can avoid trans fats by increasing whole foods as well as checking food labels, but beware! If a label states "0 Grams Trans Fat," then check the ingredients for "partially hydrogenated" or "hydrogenated" oils. The FDA allows companies to list an ingredient as "0" if the actual quantity is less than .5 grams per serving! Discover which of the foods you buy have these in them, and ask your health counselor how to find or bake delicious substitutes!

Embrace Fat!