Here we help you make sure you are getting the right fats in your diet.
Not all fats are created equally. There are the bad fats, but then there are the good fats. Good fats do not make you fat, and they’re not bad for your heart. Instead, healthy fats are a clean, nutrient rich and satisfying way to bring energy to your body and keep your brain functioning effectively.
First things first, let’s get to the bottom of what a bad fat is. Artificial trans fats are the major culprits here. They’re normal fat molecules that have been processed and deformed through hydrogenation. Hydrogenation basically means that liquid vegetable oil is heated and mixed with hydrogen gas. It’s a technique that makes foods last for a long time: good for manufacturers, but very bad for our health. The rumours about the bad fats are true, they’re guilty of increasing the risk of heart disease, strokes and diabetes. Not even a small amount of trans fat is good for you.
Watch out for: anything that says “partially hydrogenated” on the label. The usual suspects include:
- Pre-baked goods (like cookies, muffins, cakes, and even breads)
- Packaged snacks (like crisps and crackers, popcorn and sweets)
- Fried foods (chicken nuggets, breaded fish, and chips)
This all sounds a bit frightening, but don’t worry the good guys are out there. These come in the form of good fats. Good fats are unsaturated and rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat (how many times can you say “saturated” in a sentence?) Eating foods rich in good fats can improve your blood cholesterol levels and lower your risk of heart disease. They contain more energy per gram than any other food, so they’re speedy at delivering energy to the parts of your body that need it. They also balance hormones, help in the absorption of certain nutrients, and they give your cells structure! We personally think good fats are delicious. You can find them in:
- Avocados
- Nuts (we love almonds)
- Seeds
- Olives
- Algae/Seaweed (bonus points for Omega 3)
There are lots of easy ways to get good fats into your diet. Why not add a handful of nuts to your morning porridge or afternoon salad? Switch out your bag of crisps to snack on some olives (side note: you’ll also look devilishly sophisticated). We also like to incorporate an avocado a day into our diets, whether it’s mashed on toast with a squeeze of lemon juice, or in the form of holy guacamole.
Extra Tip: It’s also important to make sure you use good fats when you’re cooking. Many oils can’t stand high heats and their chemical structures change when you heat them (often becoming toxic, yikes). One of the oils that can stand the heat is coconut oil! It’s our top choice for cooking because it’s almost a completely saturated natural fat, which means it’s very heat resistant. Coconut oil is one of the most beneficial good fats for our bodies. If you’re on the fence, trust us. Also, it won’t make all your food taste like coconut, we promise.
