Fats

The dreaded subject....dun dun dun.....FATS!! Eeeeeek!!! Just Kidding, these poor guys sure have a bad reputation, when in all actuality we need good fats in our diet to serve important roles in our body's function. So why are Fats so FAT-ASTIC? Well for one they make our food taste delicious all while feeding our body with essential nutrients for optimum health! You heard me, Fats are not all bad! Now don't get me wrong, don't go crazy and load up on a bag of chips cause not all fats are created equal. There are good fats and bad fats. Yup, those bad fats sure can cause havoc in our system and unfortunately, amazing as our bodies are they can overwhelm us and lead to not so fun health issues.

 So, why is it so important to have Good Fats in our diet? Here is a list of some of the roles fats perform in the body:

• They provide a source of energy, a slow burning energy
• Fats are building blocks for cell membranes and hormones
• They are required for the absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins: A, D, E, K
• We need fats to help with the adequate use of proteins
• Our organs need fats to serve as a protective lining
• They play a role in slowing the absorption of food for proper energy regulation
• And just makes our food taste better

             We all need a mix of Healthy Fatty Acids in our diet to maintain ideal health.

                       Here are the classification of Healthy Fats we need in our Diets.

SATURATED                             MONOUNSATURATED                        POLYUNSATURATED 

Highly Stable                                Relatively Stable                                      Relatively Unstable

Do Not go rancid easily                Do not go rancid easily                            Go rancid easily

Solid/Semi solid                            Liquid at room Temperature                    Always Liquid
at room temp

Non essential,                               Non Essential,                                          Two are Essential
the body can make these              the body can make these
                                                            
Found in animal Fats and             Found in olive oil, oil from                      Never heat or use
Tropical Oils, Butter, Eggs           almonds, pecans, cashews, peanuts         in cooking
Coconut Oil, Raw Dair                 and avocados
                                                                                                                       Flax, nuts.......


All Fats and oils are some combination of the 3 above. 

There are two Polyunsaturated fats our bodies must have.  Our bodies are not able to make these fats and so it is Essential we get them in our diet or we will become deficient, which is the case in many people already.

• Linoleic Acid (LA) Omega 6
• Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA) Omega 3

Now like I said, All Fats are not created equal and there are FATS to AVOID: Hydrogenated fats, partially-hydrogenated, highly processed vegetable oils, and Fried Fats.  These Fats are scary and man can they mess with our bodies.

Try adding some Healthy Fats to your diet and see if you notice more energy, and maybe even an improvement in your skin, hair or nails. Everybody is different so slowly add them along with good quality carbohydrates and proteins and listen as your body is nourished from the inside out.