Innutrition and life there is a need to simplify…it is time to tune into nature and begin eating what is natural, unprocessed and unadulterated, especially when it comes to fats.

Low fat products filled with artificial additives, preservatives and sugar have taken over the supermarket “diet food” shelves in the mistaken belief that they are healthier. However there is a growing understanding that natural fats that have not been destroyed through heat processing can offer multiple health benefits most importantly reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer.

Throw out the scientific classification of fats into poly, mono and unsaturated fats and simplify to healthy, life giving fats and damaged fats. Fats are essential for life and have numerous functions:

• Fats are the building blocks of hormones that is why fat restricted diets can affect hormone balance.
• Fats make up individual cell membranes that affect how nutrients get into the cell and waste products get out of the cell boosting our energy levels.
• Fats transports fat soluble vitamins, A, D, E, K that is why low fat and fat-free products are deficient in these essential vitamins.
• Fats are essential for growth and repair and in infants, brain development.
• Fats are used as an energy source keeping dietary protein available for building up body tissue.

Importantly, eating the right kinds of fats contribute to a sensation of fullness. Fats stay in the stomach for longer and are absorbed more slowly having minimal impact on blood sugar levels and the hormone insulin. Fats absorb the flavours of food around them and make meals tasty and satisfying.

Unfortunately poor fats have been relegated to the naughty list in the quest to count calories and control waistlines. Yet, if you are eating the right kinds of fat you will not get fat.  

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Healthy fats

Flax oil and flax seeds, preferably organic

Fish and their oils

Nuts and seeds and their cold pressed oils

Eggs, preferably free range or organically fed

Pure butter (in small amounts not blended with other oils)

Fats in fresh white cheeses like cottage, ricotta, feta, goats cheese

Extra virgin olive oil

Avocado

A word of caution…fats are very sensitive to heat and light, and particularly essential fats can be damaged by any form of heat treatment. Choose oils that have been cold pressed in glass bottles, raw rather than roasted nuts and seeds and keep them in the fridge.

The best fats to cook with are saturated or monounsaturated fats which are more stable when heated. This includes olive oil and small amounts of butter. In the tropics where fresh coconut and palm oil (non-hydrogenated) are available these are the most stable oils at high temperatures. Frying as a cooking technique not only damages fats but causes changes in foods that can be carcinogenic (like burnt meat) so use your fats in the raw form with salads.

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Damaged fats

Damaged fats are natural fats that have been heated to high temperatures affecting their chemical structure. It is a cheap way for the food industry to provide stable oils with good shelf life at the expense of nutrition.  Hydrogenated fats and trans fatty acids are damaged fats that the body is unable to recognize or utlise. These fats can raise blood cholesterol levels and contribute to degenerative processes in the body.

Fats can also become damaged by being exposed to air through processing which removes the antioxidant, Vitamin E that is naturally found with the fat. Butter that has turned dark yellow is one visual example of a fat that is rancid and has been oxidized. Oxidized fats act as free radicals which can damage cells in the body particularly artery walls leading to the process called atherosclerosis. These fats use up the body’s precious supply of antioxidant nutrients like Vitamin A, C, betacarotene and selenium lowering immunity and increasing susceptibility to degenerative diseases.

Do your body a favour this year and avoid any of the following foods that contain unhealthy fats. Read food labels and opt for preferably organic, unprocessed wholefoods.

Avoid

Fried and deep fried food

Processed and fast foods using hydrogenated oils eg biscuits

Snack foods like crisps, fried onion rings, corn chips, popcorn

Margarine, lard, shortening

Imitation cream, imitation mayonnaise, non-dairy creamers

Pasteurised and UHT milk

Vegetable oils in plastic containers

Corn oil, canola oil, cottonseed oil, soyabean oil and palm oil that is processed and could be genetically modified

Commercial roasted nuts and seeds

High fat meats that have been cooked at high temperatures

Aged cheeses, low fat dairy products containing chemical preservatives

Toasted muesli and breakfast cereals with nuts and coconut

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