FAT

Fat. Well, this word probably means something to you. So many people battle with fat in one shape or form(no pun intended). I personally know so many people who are concerned with their weight and try numerous "diets" to try and lose weight. Let me say this first...I am not trying to be the skinny chick who tells everyone else how to lose weight. I don't care if you are overweight, I just want to puke out some information on healthy fats, which may shed some light on a few misconceptions.

The media tells us that in order to be thin we must eat a low fat diet. So what do we do? We go out and buy margarine(I'm shuddering) and skim milk(chills up my spine). We buy everything we can find that is labeled low fat and no fat, thinking it will work. So wrong. We are being so mislead. Thanks be to God, He lead me on a search to find healthy fats.

What are healthy fats? Well, like most subjects, you can go as shallow or as deep in to this subject as you would like. I'm going to point out some of the basics. And if you haven't already, I encourage you to do the research on your own.

Ok, so healthy fats....let's go. We all need two different kinds of fat for our bodies to function properly. These essential fatty acids are the building blocks of our health. They are Omega 3 Alpha Linolenic Acid(ALA) and Omega 6  Linoleic Acid(LA). LA is found in safflower, sunflower, hemp, soybean,walnut, pumpkin, sesame, and flax. Safflower and sunflower are the richest source of LA. NA is found in flax, hemp seed, canola(rape seed), soybean, walnut and dark-green leaves. Pretty much, you need good fats in your diet for your body and your brain to function properly. So what are the good fats? Well, I'll list a few for you. First, please listen. If you are eating good fats, it's not going to make you more FAT. Obviously, as with everything in our diets, moderation is the key. With that said, healthy fats are properly eliminated and metabolized by our bodies. It's used! For good!

So, healthy fats: cold pressed oils are best, by far. These are not oils you are going to find on the shelf at the supermarket. You will have to find these at a reputable health food store or online. This is where your research will come in to play. If it's important to you, do your own research. For cooking, I use either coconut oil, olive oil or good ol' real butter. Don't forget, good oils and butter take some doing to find. In our family we also drink raw cows milk which is an excellent source of healthy fats and enzymes. But, that is a whole other blog post.

What about those bad fats? Margarine, refined oil, pasteurized milk. Margarine is hydrogenated. Hydrogenation is a way of making vegetable oil harden at room temperature. Small particles of nickel or copper are added and the mix is heated to very high temperatures under pressure for up to eight hours while hydrogen gas is injected. This process destroys the essential fatty acids in the oil and replaces them with deformed trans fatty acids. I'm sure most of you have heard about how bad trans fats are for us. Margarine is the devil masked in a golden tub in my opinion! Refined oil is similiar to the margarine, in that it is horribly processed to the point that it is no longer beneficial, but harmful to our bodies. Pasteurized milk...again, another blog post. However, I will say it's bad stuff. Look in to it.

I think that many of us have been led to believe that the less fat we eat, the better. I know I've been there. It's not so. Our body and brain NEEDS fat to function. Good, healthy fat. I didn't even mention meat and processed foods. My hope would be that everyone would take some time to think about how and where they are getting their fats and how that might play a part in the health of their family. There is a lot to learn. I'm still learning, that's for sure. Good luck.