How to do Your Fat Right! Part 1

Fat – Did you know that learning to do your fat right is the single most powerful dietary strategy for maximizing wellness and preventing disease. Indeed, a spectacular body of compelling science tells us loud and clear that the type of fat in your diet is a major determinant of your health and wellness. More specifically, we now know that some fats promote disease, while others quite literally protect health and prevent disease. To take full advantage of this tasty nutritional science, one simply needs to know which fats are bad and how to get them out of the diet and which fats are good and how to get them in. For a complete guide to healthy living, buy my book.

The Bad Fats Exposed

There are two categories of “bad” fats namely trans fats and saturated fats. Keep in mind that neither of these fats provides any health benefits to the body – to the contrary, they are responsible for several well documented adverse affects.

Trans fats are the worst of the two. In fact, I consider trans fats the most toxic ingredient in our food supply. Transfats are products of modern food technology.  They are manmade fats that arise when liquid vegetables oils are “hydrogenated” to create a fat that is more solid at room temperature (example: corn oil transformed to margarine). What makes trans fats so sinister is their bizarre chemical structure. Think of them as Frankenstein or freaky fats – reeking metabolic havoc throughout your body especially within your arteries. In fact, trans fats provide a quadruple insult to your arteries, dramatically increasing your risk of cardiovascular disease. Additionally they increase the risk of insulin resistance – that sinister, now epidemic, condition that puts one in a stubborn state of fatness while increasing the risk of type II diabetes and heart disease.

Take heed and strive for a zero tolerance policy for trans fats in your diet and the diet of your loved ones. The health return on your efforts to rid your diet of this frightening fat is tremendous. And it is simple to do once you know where they are lurking.  Trans fats are found in:

• Process foods that contain hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils.  Simply refer to the nutrition facts label on all processed foods and check for grams of “trans fats,” if there is any number listed other than zero get rid of it before you get hurt!

• Stick margarine – always choose “transfat free” margarine spreads as the alternative, example Smart Balance.

• Shortening like Crisco. Don’t use them!

Saturated fats comprise the second category of bad fats. Unlike transfats which are highly toxic and should be completely avoided, saturated fats needs to be limited not 100% restricted. It is clearly established that excessive consumption of saturated fats increases your risk of cardiovascular disease along with several other nasty conditions like insulin resistance type II Diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and some cancers. To remember where saturated fats are found think “four legged fats”. Fats in animals are mostly of the saturated type.

To successfully minimize saturated fats you simply need to do the following three things:

• Limit red meat to two servings or less a week.

• Remove the skin of your poultry – ideally before you cook it.

• Avoid full fat dairy products. Enjoy dairy, but always choose reduced fat, low fat, or skim.

Click here for Part 2