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Fats Don’t Make You Fat

I never was one that followed the ‘low-fat’ diet craze. But I definitely did NOT follow it after reading about all the chemicals food companies put in their low-fat products to make them more palatable – especially more sugar!!

Today’s topic is fats – specifically ‘good’ fats…

Avocados

I was probably over thirty before I ever had or bought an avocado. Avocado is rich in unsaturated fats which are known to promote healthy skin; avocado is also packed with plant-based fibre. According to HealthLine, “avocados are very nutritious and contain a wide variety of nutrients, including 20 different vitamins and minerals. Avocados have approximately 160 calories, 2 grams of protein and 15 grams of healthy fats. Although it contains 9 grams of carbs, 7 of those are fibre so there are only 2 “net” carbs, making this a low-carb friendly plant food.  Avocados have more potassium than bananas.”

In a small, short-term study, people eating the avocado reported feeling 23% more satisfied and had a 28% lower desire to eat over the next 5 hours than the group that didn’t eat avocados. If this holds true in the long-term, then including avocados in your diet could help you naturally eat fewer calories and have an easier time sticking to a healthy diet or weight-loss plan.

I find avocado to be very filling because of the ‘good fat’ content.

Another interesting fact about avocados is that they can be frozen! I learned this from a friend who grows them at her winter home on Montserrat in the Caribbean. I just cut them in half, skin on and wrap them in plastic wrap to keep them from browning as much. These I mostly use in smoothies or guacamole, but it’s a great money saver when a bag of avocados all ripens at the same time!

All things Coconut

Coconut is another ‘exotic’ fruit I never grew up with. But, I began reading about the benefits of coconut about a decade or so ago and started buying it in its natural state. I learned, thanks to Google, how to crack it open and drink the coconut water, and then scoop or pry out all its yummy goodness.

Coconut oil is thought to possess healing properties above and beyond any other dietary oil. These properties include being anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-parasitic, meaning they kill harmful bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites.

Coconut is very high in ‘good’ fats and fibre. Coconuts are a delicious and nutritious source of fibre, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. It is a good source of calcium, potassium, and magnesium, as well as has plenty of electrolytes. In fact, coconut water is known to have the same electrolyte levels as human plasma, and has even been used for plasma transfusions!

Coconut oil can be used in many beauty/personal care regimes from shampooing and conditioning one’s hair, to use as a body lotion for keeping your skin soft and smooth, to whitening teeth either as a rinse or in homemade toothpaste.

Coconut Oil, Coconut Milk, and Coconut Flour are staples in my home. Coconut milk is my only ‘milk’ source these days since I went off ‘soft’ dairy products (milk, whipping cream, ice cream, etc.). I also like drinking Coconut Water for the added electrolytes and thirst-quenching properties.

Eggs

Eggs, specifically yolks, contain a good source of fat. This is another food that fills the satiety bill and keeps one feeling full longer.

Polyunsaturated Fats

You can find polyunsaturated fats in nuts, flax and chia seeds, hemp hearts, vegetable oils such as sesame seed oil, flaxseed oil, walnut oil, avocado oil, Extra Virgin Olive oil, and fatty fish and seafood for Omega 3s (salmon, arctic char, Atlantic Mackerel, sardines, anchovies, oysters and mussels, rainbow trout,  albacore tuna, and rockfish).

Polyunsaturated fats include Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, which are known as ‘essential fatty acids’ because our bodies don’t make them—we have to get them from food.

I usually have many different kinds of nuts, seeds and oils in my kitchen.  Not as much in the meats and seafood department.

See Good Fats Part II

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