Good Fats Versus Bad Fats

For years, Americans have been told that a low-fat diet is healthy and the only way to lose weight. WROOOOOONG, SO SO WRONG! In fact, healthy fats are ESSENTIAL to our cognitive function, sustainable weight loss and overall health. The first thing to understand is that not all fats are the same, as different types of fats will have different effects on the body. The second thing to understand, is which fats are good and which are truly damaging. 

Avocados for instance, are high fat, high fiber and low carb. ALSO filled with nutrients like folate, vitamin K, vitamin C, Potassium, vitamin B5, B6, E. 🥑’s are easily one of the most nutritious foods you could consume. When incorporating good fats into your daily nutrition, avoid vegetable oils (canola, soy, corn, sunflower, safflower), and stick to these fatties instead…..

Quality Fat Food Sources

  • Avocado

  • Olives

  • Nut/seeds

  • Almond butter

  • Cashew butter

  • Coconut butter

  • Chia seeds

  • Wild Fatty Fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring, calamari, mussels, oysters)

  • Grass-fed beef

  • Wild game

  • Grass-fed/ pasture-raised chicken (with skin)

Healthy Dressing Oils/Fats for Low Temp Cooking

  • Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (cold-pressed or unrefined are best)

  • Organic Coconut oil (Virgin, cold-pressed, unrefined is best)

Healthy Cooking Oils/Fats for High Temp Cooking

  • Avocado oil

  • Ghee-clarified Grass-fed Butter

  • Macadamia Nut oil

  • Organic Animal Fats (Pasture-raised, Antibiotic/hormone free are best)

    • Duck Fat

    • Lamb Fat

    • Beef Tallow

Unhealthy Fats/Oils

  • Canola oil

  • Soybean oil

  • Corn oil

  • Sunflower oil

  • Safflower oil

These oils are marketed as healthier options but are in fact highly inflammatory and wreak major havoc on our entire hormonal system, potentially attributing to neurological decline.

Canola oil and other vegetable oils are typically genetically modified and partially hydrogenated. Hydrogenation is when a liquid unsaturated fat is turned into a solid fat by adding hydrogen (enter the dangerous “trans fat”).

Companies use hydrogenate oil to keep their costs down, help increase the shelf life, and add texture.

Hydrogenated oil can have a negative impact on our heart health as they increase the “bad” LDL cholesterol and lower the “good” HDL cholesterol.

How to avoid → Carefully read food labels. Avoid any food products that contain partially hydrogenated oil

Identify the bad guys ↓

  • margarine

  • coffee creamers (dairy & non-dairy)

  • vegetable shortening

  • processed pre-packaged snacks

  • ready to use dough