Fat Lessons for Dummies

The thing is, do any of us really understand how many different types of fat there are? 

I mean, really. I've heard of polyunsaturated and trans fat before, and I know it's a good thing when it says 0 Trans Fat on packaging, but why? And what the heck does all that stuff really mean anyway; more importantly, how does it affect me? 

Well, if you're anything like me, clueless about fatty acids, then dig in because I'm about to spill the beans all over your screen.

I thought I'd begin by covering the types of fat there are: polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, saturated, and trans. They are all normal fatty acids, but they are not all good for you. So here we go...

1.   Polyunsaturated fats  (nuts, seeds, fish, leafy greens, bananas, sesame oil, peanut butter)

Decreases overall cholesterol, decreases the risk of heart attacks, can reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, contains omega 3's (fish oil, fish, and seafood).

Side note: Omega 3's (salmon, walnuts, flax seed) help lower triglycerides (high saturated fats) and lower cholesterol.

2.   Monounsaturated fats

Decreases cholesterol levels; helps burn body fat; improves blood pressure and glucose control; good source of fat soluble vitamin A, D, E, & K

Vitamin A (liver, spinach, mango’s, avocado’s paprika) It improves -vision, skin cellular health; antioxidants

Vitamin D (salmon, tuna, cereals) It reduces inflammation

Vitamin E (cereal: Quaker Oats, Corn Flakes; nuts: seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds; vegetables: spinach, tomato, broccoli, peppers, asparagus) It improves healing of wounds, decreases premenstrual symptoms, improves overall circulation. Want more info? Click here

Vitamin K (leafy greens, fruits like avocado, onion, peas, cucumber-unpeeled) It initiates healing process by slowing bleeding, good for preventing heart disease. Want more info? Click here

3.   Saturated fat (coconut oil, butter, milk and dairy products, meat) 

Increases cholesterol so try not to eat too many of these foods.

4.   Trans fat (fast food, snack food, fried food, and baked industries) 

This is a normal fatty acid found naturally from animal-based foods so it’s relatively okay to consume. More often then not it contains about 4% of trans fat. 

If, however, its transformed into partial hydrogenated oils (see glossary below) then this is NOT okay as it contains more than 50% of trans fat.

These foods makes you gain weight. How? For one, it prevents good fat from being absorbed properly so it lodges itself in your body and makes a home for itself (aka-your face, bum, hips, stomach, etc. Secondly, it also slows your metabolism down.

Not to mention that it’s linked to increasing risk of coronary heart disease!!

So avoid anything that says hydrogenated, will ya?

If I've missed anything, made a mistake somewhere, or you would like to add more info then by all means, go right ahead. I don't have that comment box for nothing. All you have to do is click the drop down menu, choose NAME/URL, enter your name, and then comment. You don't have to be a member.

GLOSSARY

1.   Hydrogenated Oils: used to reduce or saturate organic compounds in order to prolong or extend the shelf life of processed foods (for profit).

2.   Partially Hydrogenated Oils: transformed when liquid oils are made into semi-solid foods (margarine)

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CLEAN Lessons 101: Include/Exclude Food List

Have I ever shared the details of what I can and cannot eat during this CLEAN detox? 

I don't believe I have so here's the scoop...

Foods to include:

whole fruits, unsweetened, frozen or water-packed;

almond milk, coconut milk,

non-gluten grains and starch: brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat;

cold water fish, lean lamb, duck, chicken;

lentils, legumes, olive oil, sesame oil;

green tea, herbal teas, agave nectar;

most condiments: i.e. basil, cinnamon, cumin, dill, garlic, etc.

Foods to exclude:  

wheat, corn, barley, spelt, rye, couscous, oats;

no beef, raw fish, veal, sausage, shellfish; 

oranges, orange juice, grapefruit, strawberries, grapes, bananas;

tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, peppers;

no dairy, soy products, butter, processed oils, spreads;

alcohol, coffee, caffeinated beverages, sodas, 

sugar, chocolate, ketchup, relish, etc.

The reason these foods are eliminated from the detox is mainly due to their ability to suppress our digestive strength, unbalance our PH levels, and inflame our body.

Certain foods act as irritants preventing our system from breaking down properly and causing fermentation, i.e. tomatoes, chocolate, potatoes, shellfish.

Simply put, you’re body needs to absorb or eliminate what was eaten. If it can’t do it normally, i.e. by eliminating waste from you know where, then any residuals will be reabsorbed into your body creating a toxic condition; abdominal rumblings, heartburn, bloating, depression, etc. Yuck!

*Adding spices to your meals is a great way to help the body break down the foods you eat.

Other foods listed are more acidic which decrease the body’s ability to absorb minerals and other nutrients; decrease it’s ability to repair damaged cells and makes it more susceptible to fatigue and illness: milk products, bananas, and grains such as wheat -but these are also the main "mucus-making" foods that cause the stickiness in the intestines which in turn makes nutrient absorption and elimination harder to achieve. 

*Note, when it says avoid acidic foods, it doesn't necessarily mean you need to avoid them at all costs. It just means that there should be a healthy balance of both acidic and alkaline forming foods. You can buy PH balance strips, if you're really interested, to see if your body contains too much acid. 

Last but not least, some foods to avoid have inflammatory effects in the body: sugars and grains, especially refined grains (white rice) cause the body to release more insulin, which regulates absorption. Insulin is a pro-inflammatory hormone...big no no.

The Eat Clean Maintenance Checklist

1.   Eat more veggies, less dairy to balance your PH

2.   Include plenty of fresh, whole foods

3.   Eat at least 51% raw (veggies, fruits, seeds, nuts, unprocessed oils)

4.   Support good bacteria in your intestinal tract with plenty of fiber, good-quality saturated fats, foods with natural probiotics.

5.   Avoid feeding bad bacteria with preservatives; sugar; wheat; refined grains; dairy products, and alcohol.

6.   Detox periodically (once/year)

And that about sums up our lesson of the day! 

Hope you learned something valuable. 

Thanks for stopping by.

xx

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