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Fat - The Good, The Bad, The Reason
Fat – the Good, the Bad, the Reason
by Brenda Jaeck, Nutrition and Lifestyle Counselor
Fat has become a nutritional taboo. People often think if the eat fat it will make
them fat. In actuality, fat is an important part of the diet. It is needed for so many
reasons.
Fat gives our food staying power. It helps slow down how food is processed in
our systems; thereby giving you more energy for a longer period of time with the
same amount of food. It also gives our food “mouth feel.” This allows us to feel
like we have eaten something. Think Snackwells. These non-fat and low-fat
baked goods burst onto the market in the 80’s. People would eat so many more
of these per sitting than regular baked goods (often the WHOLE box) as they
were not satisfied because of the lack of “mouth feel” AND they had a mind set
that they were lower in calories. Fat also gives food flavor.
Fat warms the body – a diet too low in fat will leave you feeling cold – particularly in a
cold climate. It also gives us energy.
So having said all that about the importance of fat – what kind of fat should you eat or
not eat. Eating a natural, non-processed fat is always the best – healthy sources include
– nuts, avocados and olive oil. Not so great choices include hydrogenated oils. These
oils are highly processed and most difficult for the body to digest and eliminate. They
are in SO many foods – most packaged foods contain some form of hydrogenated oils.
How do you know? Read the label. Some forms of natural fats are not the healthiest
choice either – these include saturated fats – most of these come from animal sources
and contain cholesterol.
Fat is NOT a dirty word or something that should be avoided but rather something that
should be sought out and incorporated into the diet in a healthy way.
Brenda Jaeck is a Holistic Nutrition and Lifestyle Counselor, Lecturer and
Workshop Facilitator. She can be contacted at 917 213 9305 or
brenda@seedstochange.com.
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