Dietary Fats & Oils Guide
YOU NEED FAT & CHOLESTEROL
Healthy fatty acid deficiency is an epidemic. Healthy fats play several roles within our bodies including:
- Providing a source of energy.
- Acting as building blocks for cell membranes and hormones.
- Aiding the absorption of the fat‐soluble vitamins: A, D, E, and K.
- Allowing for the proper use of proteins.
- Serving as a protective lining for the organs of the body.
- Helping regulate energy absorption by slowing the absorption of food.
- Regulating inflammation within the body and reducing healing time.
- Increasing satiety.
- Making food taste good!
FAT IS AN EXCELLENT FUEL
Unlike glucose, fats provide a steady, long lasting source of fuel. It’s incredibly important for regulating your blood sugar. Using glucose (sugar) for fuel is like throwing kindling onto a fire, while fat is like throwing on a big log. Fueling with sugar will leave you feeling depleted and irritable. The process of converting fat into ATP (cellular energy) in our mitochondria is:
1. More efficient than glucose.
2. Requires fewer steps.
3. Produces fewer free radicals.
FATS ARE BUILDING BLOCKS
Fat and cholesterol form critical building blocks of cellular membranes, important hormones like estrogen and testosterone, and the myelin that surround nerve cells. Without these building blocks, the structural integrity of your cells can be compromised, your hormones can get out of balance, and you your body will be unable to produce Vitamin D in the skin when exposed to sunlight.
ABSORBING FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS
Dietary fats are required to absorb the key fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Consider a fat-free diet to also be a vitamin-free diet, too! Deficiencies in these vitamins can lead to a number of health problems, including reduced immune function, lack of growth in children, rickets, osteoporosis, calcification, infertility, protein synthesis issues, and much more.
HOW TO EAT MORE HEALTHY FATS
Not all fats are your friend (trans-fats and hydrogenated vegetable oils should always be avoided), but it’s very important to ensure you are getting enough healthy fats in your diet. 3 tips to incorporate more healthy fats into your diet:
#1 ADD FATS TO VEGGIES
If you don’t like vegetables, you’re just not adding enough fat! Make sure to cook with a heat-stable fat (e.g. coconut oil, tallow, or ghee) and only finish with fats that have a lower smoke point such as olive oil and butter.
#2 EAT FATTY FISH
Fatty fish like wild caught salmon is an excellent source of the essential long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, which have been shown to help decrease inflammation, lower blood pressure, and reduce the risk of cancer.
#3 EAT FATTY CUTS OF RESPONSIBLY RAISED MEAT
If you are eating meat from a *properly raised* animal (organic and pasture-raised), try to eat the fattiest cuts possible. If eating meat from conventionally raised animals, however, make sure to cut off the fat as toxins accumulate in fat tissue.
KNOW YOUR FATS
SAFEST FOR COOKING:
These oils are best for frying baking, broiling, and roasting. They are best when organic. (Butter is also safe for baking).
- Coconut oil, beef Tallow, lard, ghee, chicken fat, goose fat, duck fat, lamb tallow, and red palm oil
SAFER FOR COOKING:
These oils are best for quick stir-frying and sautéing. They are best when cold extracted and expeller-pressed.
- Avocado oil, butter, macadamia nut oil, olive oil, peanut oil and sesame oil
UNSAFE FOR COOKING:
Do not heat these oils. They are best if raw and unprocessed.
- Safflower/sunflower oil, almond oil, black currant seed, evening primrose, flax oil, pumpkin seed oil, grapeseed oil, hemp oil, pine nut oil, hazelnut oil, walnut oil and rice bran oil
UNSAFE (DO NOT CONSUME):
These oils are often from genetically modified seed (GMO); contain high levels of pesticides; are heated and extracted with toxic chemicals.
- Canola oil/rapeseed oil, soybean/vegetable oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, vegetable shortening and partially hydrogenated fats/oils (all)
Big ole thanks to the NTA for providing me with all of this good info in my nutrition program! :)
