In the past, the mere mention of the word ‘fat’ would send fitness enthusiasts and personal trainers and nutritionists into fits of hysterics, reducing them to quivering blubbering messes in the corner of room. Ok, perhaps that’s a slight exaggeration, but not too long ago, as far as healthy and fitness was concerned, all fat was strictly off limits if you wanted to be healthy and lose weight. As time went by however, technology advanced, as did our research studies and techniques, and experts began to find that in fact, perhaps they’d been a little dramatic, and perhaps a little fat was ok, providing it was only a little. More time went by, and we were able to distinguish the difference between bad fats such as trans fats, and healthy fats such as monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fat. Even some forms of saturated fats such as those found in animal proteins and organic produce such as coconut oil, were found to be beneficial to us. Now that we knew the difference between good fats and bad fats, we began focussing more on what it was that made these fats so healthy. Healthy fat for example, help reduce LDL cholesterol, which in turn helps reduce the risk of stroke, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and more besides. It also lubricates the joints, boosts immunity, improves brain health and function, and improves internal organ health and function too. As if that wasn’t enough bizarrely, healthy fats have also been found to actually help us to LOSE weight. Yes, you are reading correctly, as odd as the concept of eating fat to lose fat may be, it has been tried and tested for years now, with fantastic results. The problem however, is getting enough healthy fats into our diets in place of unhealthy ones. Consume too few and we don’t benefit, but consume too many, and we gain weight as they are still fats, so the trick is finding the right balance and getting just enough. Here are a few tips on how.
Whole eggs
Many dedicated fitness enthusiasts and hardcore bodybuilders, will spend their mornings cracking eggs open, and carefully separating the whites from the yolks, and freaking out if even the smallest of drops of yolk were to make their way into their omelette. Some even go one step further and consume ready-made liquid egg whites. Don’t be one of these people however, don’t fear the yolk, embrace it. Whilst the yolk does indeed contain fat and cholesterol, it contains a healthy balance of both bad, and good cholesterol, which makes it far more beneficial as good cholesterol lowers bad cholesterol. On top of that, the fats are also very healthy as they boost brain function and help to get the metabolism firing on all cylinders. Eggs in general are very beneficial as they’re rich in protein, contain a complete amino acid profile, and are rich in vitamins and minerals. Too many yolks a day may be bad, but two or three whole eggs each morning will not only not hurt you, it will actually benefit you, which is great news because the yolks are the best part.
Supplements
Need more proof as to whether or not fats are really healthy and good for us or not? How about the fact that supplements such as cod liver oil and various other omega 3 fatty acid supplements, are some of the best-selling and most popular products currently available? If you’re struggling to get enough healthy fats each day, a basic cod liver oil supplement will work fantastically. Available in either liquid, or gel capsule form, you either add the liquid to your beverage of choice, or swallow the capsule whole, and that’s it for the rest of the day. Supplements such as cod liver oil for example, will boost metabolism, it will strengthen your immune system, it will boost brain health and power, it will lubricate your bones and joints, and much more besides. They’re also often great sources of vitamin D and vitamin A as well.
Add extra fat when cooking
If you’re cooking with healthy fats, it’s important that you choose the right source of healthy fat for cooking, as some fats will become very unhealthy if heated too much, extra virgin olive oil being a prime example. When heated, extra virgin olive oil actually changes molecular shape and produces toxic chemicals which can be highly carcinogenic, which to you and us, means they can cause a variety of different cancers. As far as healthy oils for frying go, coconut oil is one of the best, as is olive oil. Note how we said olive oil and not extra virgin olive oil? Even so, olive oil should only be heated moderately as if it gets too hot, it will turn bitter and smoke your entire kitchen out. Walnut oil, or even grass-fed unsalted butter are also very healthy fats that are ideal for cooking with. If you’re looking to increase your consumption, just add a little more. With breads and salads, a great way of benefitting from olive oil, or extra virgin olive oil, is to simply drizzle a little over your meals.
Fatty meats and fishes
The saturated fats found in grass-fed beef have recently been found to be incredibly healthy and beneficial to us, and providing we keep our consumption of fattier cuts of meat moderate, we can benefit from them greatly. The same goes with fish as well. Oily fish such as mackerel, salmon, and sardines, are considered some of the healthiest food sources on the entire planet, and it’s easy to understand why as well. They’re packed full of protein, they’re a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids, and they provide numerous health benefits to us. Oh, and as an added bonus, they also taste pretty amazing too.
