Fats – Why it’s Important they are in your Diet!

I think it would be cool to have a mortal enemy – not a real person but you know like Pappa Smurff and Gargemel, Road Runner and Coyote, or Batman and Joker.  That one person or thing that you could always count on to get under your skin, the  thing that made you think creatively to outsmart them that drove you to be on your toes and in tip top shape always.

For generations people have been striving to “be healthy” and they have eliminated things from their diet, added things to their diet, eat 6 times a day, eat 1 time a day anything that is suggested to get the results they want.

One of the things that over the years has been labeled as bad for you is fat.

Well I am here to tell you

Fat has gotten a bad rap!

People think that eating fat….makes them fat.  This is not the case, an excess of calories whether they be from carbs, proteins, fats, sugars, fruits and vegetables is what makes people gain extra body fat. (although at 9 calories per gram I can see why it got a bad rap).

Why Fat is Good For You.

Some  vitamins are water soluble which means they dissolve in water are used by our body and any excess is removed from the body through our kidneys.

Fat Soluble vitamin (A, D, E and K) these vitamins need fat to dissolve for use and they unused portion is stored in your body’s fat for use later. You need fat to process and store these vitamins.

So what does fat in my diet do for me?

Do you like having healthy, full and plump, glowing skin, with less wrinkles well say thank you to the fat in your diet.  Fat provides moisture to your skin keeping it healthy and fatty deposits give your face its beautiful cheek bones, shapely lips, etc. giving you your young appearance.

Fat also aids in your eyesite but most importantly you need fat for your brain to function properly!  And children and babies also need fat for brain development.

 Types of Fats:

Unsaturated Fats, Saturated Fats, Trans Fats or as I call them The Good, The Bad and The Ugly!

Ok, so lets start with the ugly – your Trans Fats.  These are man created fats, they are unnatural and our bodies do not know how to process them, they clog our arteries and block blood flow to our orgrans such as the brain and heart.  They are most often found in your prepackaged foods, cakes, pastas, ect. Read your labels!

Next, the bad (not really bad) – your Saturated Fats.  These are your animal fats not great for your but not nearly as bad as your Trans Fats. They are found in butter, lard, steak even chicken.  While these fats have also been linked to clogged arteries they can be eaten without guilt in a healthy diet in moderation.  Just avoid any modified by humans.

Now for the Good – Unsaturated Fats  – 

Unsaturated fats can be broken down further into monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.  Monounsaturated means one hydronated pair and polyunsaturated means missing two or more hydrogen pairs.  They are associated with lowering LDL cholesteral and increasing HDL cholesteral.

Monounsaturated Fat Foods

Sesame oil, canola, olive oil, avacado, olives, nuts, peanuts and peanut butter, legumes and seeds.

 

Polyunsaturated Fat

corn, cottonseed, and safflower oils, sunflower seeds and sunflower oil, flaxseed and flaxseed oil, soybeans and soybean oil and seafood such as salmon, mackerel and trout.