Good Fats ‘v’ Bad Fats

So – fats always seem to be outed as the “bad guys” and the devils in the waistline wars…but you may be surprised to hear this is not necessarily the case.

There are actually “good” and “bad’ fats out there…now Im not going to bore you (or myself) with all the science jargon…Im just going to keep it simple and tell it how it is and hopefully shed some light on the Fat debate

Now lets just clear this up the Saturated fat found in coconut oil (as I know this is all on trend at the minute) is different to that found in a pizza!!

All Fats contain 9 calories per gram, but they all have very different effects on your health and your weight. Trans/Bad Fats are the unhealthy ones,

Lets start with the Bad Guys….The “Bad” Fats

Bad Fats increase cholesterol and increase your risk of certain diseases.
Bad Fats or “trans fats” or “saturated fats” (but not all….) are the type that cause:- weight gain, clogged arteries, heart disease and much more.

Bad Fats are found in:
Processed foods
Commercial baked goods (cakes, pizzas, biscuits, bread)
Packaged/Processed Food
Solid Fats (margarine)
Friend Foods
Pre-mixed Foods (cake mix etc)
And anything with “partially hydrogenated” oil on the ingredients list

So basically any food you love to binge on….think again! It contains all these Bad fats, but lets be honest we all know this anyway don’t we??

Now the Goodies…..The “Good” Fats

Fats are essential to our physical and emotional health – well the Good Fats are. Heathy Fats play a huge role in helping you manage your moods, fight fatigue and even help control your weight.
Good Fats aka “monounsaturated” and “polyunsaturated” fats can help improve blood cholesterol levels, lower your risk of heart disease and also benefit insulin levels, therefore controlling blood sugar (helpful for anyone with diabetes)

Good Fats are found in:
Avocados
Olives
Nuts
Natural Peanut Butter
Seeds
Flaxseed
Fatty Fish (Omega 3)
Coconut oil (YES I KNOW)

Omega 3 Fatty Acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat and they are superheats for the brain and emotional health. Omega 3 Fats help:
Protect the body against memory loss and dementia
Reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer
Eases arthritis, joint pain and inflammatory skin conditions
Supports a healthy pregnancy
Helps balance mood and sharpen mind
These amazing fatty Acids can be found in Fish, Seaweed, Fish Oil, Walnuts, Flaxseeds, Sprouts, Kale, Spinach and Parsley, Olive Oil

Low Fat?? Whats all that about – its a chemical sh*tstorm thats what it is….

Nowadays there are so many “low fat” options, but these have only helped increase the obesity rate…not as healthy as they sound. The problem is people are swapping the “fats” and opting for “low fat” – which are just basically full of refined carbs and sugars…which have negative effects on the body, meaning we’ve swapped 1 bad thing for another…..how does that make sense? I mean come on…how did you think the food would have taste when the “fat” was removed?? SUGAR SUGAR SUGAR!!! THE REAL DEVIL

Red Meat?? To eat or not to eat?
With the environmental damage and treatment of industrially raised cattle, the fact they are pumped with growth hormones and antibiotics and denied much outdoors time….what else could put you off? Oh and they are given GMO Feed grown with pesticides… If you must eat red meat – limit the amount and also go for organic/grass fed/free range as these don’t pose the same health risks.

So what can you do?
Increase your intake of the Good Fats
Use Coconut Oil
Have Omega 3 Fatty Acids everyday
Avoid processed Sat fats
Don’t replace fat with sugary foods
Vary your diet
eat your veggies
Go Organic
Don’t fry your foods
Snack well

Remember FAT isn’t the devil here……maybe look at your sugar intake and before you grab that “low fat” meal….THINK!!

Fat is needed and is can be god for you…choose wisely

Jen x

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