The Great Fat Myth

There's a huge myth out there about weight loss and fat.  It goes something like this.  "Your body doesn't need fat.  So just make all your food low-fat or fat-free and you'll be good"

There's only one problem with that.  It's a myth.  Your body NEEDS fat to function properly.  Yes, it's true!  And it needs REAL fat. 

But wait...isn't fat bad for us?  Actually, no.  Many of the nutrients our body requires to function are fat-soluble.  That means they are only found in fats...animal fats.  And when you consider that our brains are over 2/3 fat, that should be enough to convince you our smarts depend on fat. 

Additionally, fat also helps with the absorption of vitamins, minerals, and protein from other sources - like all those good for you vegetables you are encouraged to eat. 

Yay, right?  Fat is good.  But there is a catch.  It has to be the right kind of fat.

BAD fats are bad for us.  What our body needs is the good fats.  So don't head for the cookie aisle of your favorite supermarket quite yet.  There are some things you need to know first.

First, what fats are "good" fats.  There's actually a pretty long list:

• Butter
• Beef and lamb tallow
• Coconut, palm, and sesame oils
• Cold pressed olive oils
• Cold pressed flax oils (sparingly)
• Fish oils

So what are the "bad" fats?  Again, the list is long:

• Margarine
• All hydrogenated oils,
• Soy, corn and safflower oils
• Cottonseed oil
• Canola oil
• Any "fake" fat that is highly processed

These fats are heated to very high temperatures in processing (or when frying or cooking) and have been shown to cause cancer, heart disease, immune system dysfunction, sterility, learning disabilities, growth problems and osteoporosis.

Now this doesn't mean you get to run out and eat a Quarter Pounder with cheese or throw half a pound of butter on your mashed potatoes.  Too much of anything can be harmful. 

But what it does mean is - EAT REAL FAT.  Eat the red meat - in moderation.  Use butter not margarine.  Avocados are wonderful (full of healthy fat!).  Throw out the processed oils and get some quality olive oil and coconut oil.

Eat real food.  If it comes in a wrapper or has a barcode, it should be off limits.  (Wave goodbye to fast food!).

Buy organic and grass-fed whenever possible.  Try to avoid meat that is pumped full of hormones or antibiotics.

Food should not be "fast."  I realize we are all busy and don't have time to spend an hour preparing dinner every night.  But you can pre-pare as much as possible on the weekends.  Cook some chicken breasts ahead of time and keep them on hand.  Cut up vegetables and have them ready.  Cook entire meals on the weekend and then freeze to have on hand for busy nights.  Anything that will keep you out of the drive-thru.

I remember my grandmothers and later my mother-in-law always loading the table with food that would cause most of us today to run screaming from the table.  And yet they were three of the healthiest women I have ever met.  Each lived to a ripe old age with minimal health problems and no signs of dementia. As did most of their family. I always wondered how that was possible, given all we are taught about nutrition today.  Well, thanks to all my research I have finally figured it out.

They ate real food from their farms and their gardens.
They did not eat processed food.
Much of their meat was raised on their farms or their neighbors' farms.  So no hormones, no antibiotics, and no surprises. 
They didn't eat fast food.  In fact, meal times were family times.  We sat at the table to eat and engaged in actual conversation with each other.  We didn't eat a burger with one hand while driving to our next appointment.  Or mindlessly sit in front of the television shoving food into our mouths without thinking.

So warning...if you come to my house for dinner, there will be real butter on the table.  Real cream in the mashed potatoes.  There will be meat (grass-fed and organic of course).  Fresh vegetables or frozen vegetables (no cans.  Too much processing).  There will be bread.  (Low carb is as bad as low fat...just sayin').  And there will be good wine and conversation.  Y'all stop by now...hear?