I’m sure you have heard that you must stay away from fats in order to lose weight. That is simply not the truth about fat! You need good fats in your diet for many reasons. The truth is you MUST avoid bad fats. Saturated fats are considered good fats. They make up 50 percent of our cell membranes. They also play a key role in our cardiovascular health by reducing lipoprotein, which relates to risk for heart disease. Saturated fats are required by our bones in order for them to receive calcium effectively. Other organs that benefit from a diet consisting of 50 percent saturated fats are the lungs, liver, and brain. Saturated fats found in raw butter, lard, coconut oil and palm oil help to influence metabolism, and the correct amounts of insulin. They are carriers for vitamins A, D, E and K. A huge factor in consuming the proper amount of saturated fats for weight loss is that they slow down food absorption, making you feel full longer. Now that you know the benefits, you know that avoiding fats altogether is certainly not what’s best for your health.
You can get saturated fats from consuming organic meats, raw milk and butter from grass fed cows, and organic vegetables and grains. They can also be found in coconut oil, organic olive oil and organic avacodo.
The bad fats that are a MUST to avoid altogether are trans fats. Your body simply does not need trans fats. Trans fat lowers levels of “good cholesterol” and raises levels of “bad cholesterol.” It can lead to clogged arteries and type 2 diabetes, among other health problems. High consumption of trans fats have been linked to Alzheimer’s, Cancer, infertility and major depressive disorders.
Trans fats are mainly created through hydrogenation by food manufacturers to increase the foods shelf life. Stay away from processed foods, fried foods, margarine and anything with partially hydrogenated oils. It is better for your health to stick with organic foods.
Now that you know the truth about fat, go clean out your pantry and find a local farmers market! If you dont have a local place to shop for organics, more grocery stores are selling organic foods now as well. If you want to lose weight, do it the right way. Don’t starve your body of the fats that it actually needs to be healthy.
