Fat facts: the good, the bad and the ugly

I know what you're thinking - I have been a little slack lately with the posts and I do apologise. Things have been crazy with fitness workshops and the launch of our brand's new website and time has not been on my side.

 

Anyway, I am back and I have a great blog post that will have you looking fantastic this Christmas.

 

All I want you to do is eat MORE FAT. Yes, you read that right!

 

Fat will not just help with your wobbly bits but will also work wonders for your health and your skin will looking AMAZING.

 

Now I'm not talking about any old fat, I mean the good stuff. Let's look at the different fats and what to eat and what to avoid.

 

You need fats for optimal health. Low fat diets cause nothing but low moods and misery and should be avoided. The vital thing about fat intake is to understand how to incorporate fats into your diet to make the most of their awesomeness.

 

Lots of people lost weight on the Atkins Diet, ok so Dr Atkins himself may have died seriously overweight and the diet was flawed on a number of levels, but one good thing he acknowledged was that fat wasn’t making people overweight, it was sugar in the form of carbohydrates. The downfall to the diet was that obsessive carb counting led to many people living on dairy heavy, highly acidic, fibre lacking diets, unable to go to the loo for weeks, sorry but true.

 

As technology evolves studies in nutritional science are advancing and it is becoming increasing clear how protein, fat and sugar impact upon our bodies. Fat is clearly not the prime culprit in this global obesity crisis.

 

The important thing about fat is to fully understand the different types, the benefits and how to include them in your diet because the amount, quality and preparation all contribute to the effect they have on the body.

 

So here is our guide to fats and how to use them, starting with science (skip this if you hated chemistry at school) and head to the good, the bad and the ugly.

 

Fat is a concentrated source of energy with 9 calories per gram. It provides essential fatty acids and transports fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K around the body. Fat is a component of every cell wall, it supports and insulates our entire body and is a great source of energy.

 

Fats consist of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms in chains of different lengths and shapes. Fats are defined by their level of saturation. Saturation is defined by the number of double bonds between atoms within the chain of fatty acids.

 

Monounsaturated = Single Double Bond (mon0=one)

Polyunsaturated fats = More than one double bond (Poly =many)

Saturated fat = All carbon bonds paired with hydrogen atoms.

Trans Fats = Man made fat where the nature of the bond is changed by industrial processing.

 

It may surprise you to know there are benefits in consuming most fats including monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and saturated.

 

Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated fats are typically known as the 'healthy' fats.

 

Monounsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature. These decrease total blood cholesterol but maintain your HDL (healthy) cholesterol. Sources include olive oil, peanut oil, sesame oil, avocados, nuts and olives.

 

Polyunsaturated fats are liquid or soft at room temperature and decrease total blood cholesterol by lowering both the LDL (bad) cholesterol and the HDL (good) cholesterol.

 

It’s also important to further differentiate between types of polyunsaturated fats, in fact it’s Essential:

 

 

Omega 3 and omega 6 are known as 'essential' fatty acids as the body cannot produce them and so they must be sourced from diet. Omega 6 are abundant in our diet particularly from grain fed meat and cereals. Although we need omega 6 fatty acids our body also needs to maintain a specific ratio between omega 6 and omega 3 yet some experts estimate a typical modern diet contains a ratio of 10 - 30:1 (omega 6: omega 3 ). For this reason most people should address their omega 3 intake. Omega 3’s are anti-inflammatory , support healthy brain function and have been used to treat depression, ADD and anxiety. The best sources are oily fish, ground flax seeds (linseed), omega eggs, algae and nuts.

 

 

Saturated fats although demonised in the past for increasing bad cholesterol and risk of heart disease, new research is now suggesting there are benefits to consuming certain saturated fats. As these fats are 'saturated' in hydrogen atoms they are less reactive and more stable when heated making them a preferred choice for cooking. Saturated fats are also integral to our bodies cell membrane structure, they assist in providing fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) and cholesterol which our body needs.

 

 

Most diets contain excessive levels of omega 6 which has an inflammatory effect on the body. Increase your omega 3′s with oily fish and sprinkle ground flax seed on salads, soups and add to smoothies. Walnuts and hemp seed oil are good sources. If none of these appeal supplement with a pure grade, filtered fish oil contact us for recommended suppliers.

 

 

Fats transform when heated, a process called oxidation changes the structure, destroying the beneficial properties and increasing fats potential to have a harmful effect on the body.

 

Fats become also rancid easily especially if exposed to heat. Incorrect storage during retail and at home may mean a fat is rancid by the time it reaches your plate. It’s worth investing in a good, organic brand. Store fats in a cool dry place. Cold pressed oils, nuts and seeds should be stored in the fridge in an air tight container. The more wrinkly your nuts are the more rancid they are!

 

The best way to gain the benefits from fats is not to heat them. Cook without fat and add them after to foods, check out Fitter Chef’s Cook it Healthy advice.

 

 

These are chemically modified fats developed by the food industry to keep processed food products more stable. Our body was never designed to metabolise fats of this nature and they create havoc with our biochemistry. These fats are strongly linked to inflammation, heart disease, diabetes and obesity and should be avoided at all costs.