Society has put a label on all fats as bad without considering the health benefits to the healthy, whole food sourced fats.
Healthy fats can be found in a variety of foods including meat, fish, nuts, seeds and vegetable oils.
Fats have a variety of health benefits including supporting memory and cognitive function, reduce cellular oxidative stress, protection of organs and bones, conversion of Vitamin D from sunlight and most importantly helps keep you fuller for longer.
Healthy sources of Fats:
Avocado
Chia seeds, Linseeds & Flaxseeds
Coconut, Olive & Hemp Seed oil
Walnuts, Almonds, Cashews
Nut butters
Seafood such as prawns, salmon, trout, anchovies
Avoid these kinds of fats:
Trans and Hydrogenated Saturated fats are altered by hydrogenation in which the texture of the foods become more solid at room temperature so they can have a prolonged shelf life. Examples of these kinds of fats include fried food like burgers and chips, bakery items such as cakes and donuts and some butters.
Being more mindful with using the words ‘good’ and ‘bad’ for certain foods
Rather than putting a label on foods as good or bad we should start looking at how they nourish us, the nourishing foods are mainly whole foods such as vegetables, fruits, fish, nuts and seeds, when they digest they supply the body with nutrients and energy that make us feel good. This way of looking at food as fuel for our body can help alleviate the negative outlook and stress on our diet leading to a bad relationship with food.
So next time you are in the grocery store and read the back of a food label and read the total fats, don’t be put off or unsure if it’s ‘good’ or ‘bad’ look at the type of fat for example and ask yourself “Will this nourish my body?”.
For more information and guidance on how to nourish your body through nutrition, schedule some time with Katherine Anderson.