You Are What You Eat: Don't forget the fats
Each week, we'll be naming a Super Food and offering unique ways to use those Super Foods that pack nutritional power. After all, you are what you eat -- make it count!
From an early age, we're told that fat is bad for us. We count it, avoid it, cut it from our recipes and diets. We stay away from things that are deep-fried or covered in cream, just in an effort to lower our fat consumption. We're drawn to flashy labels that say 'low fat!' and 'fat free!' And why? We're told it's the enemy, causing a myriad of problems like heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
But if you've been reading That's Fit for a while, you know it's not the enemy at all. In fact, it's an essential part of your diet.So why do you need fat?
The thing is, your body needs fat because it's partially made of fat. Yeah, I know what you're thinking -- the fat is all in your butt and thighs -- but that's simply not true. To say that your brain is mostly fat is not an insult -- it's true. Your brain is composed of 60% fats. And that thing that keeps your blood pumping, the heart? 60% of its energy comes from burning fats. Your nerves? They're protected by -- you guessed it -- fats. You can read lots more fat facts by clicking here.
But are all fats created equal?
Fats are a complex thing, and there's more than one kind of fat. In fact, there's three:
Here's a question: Which fat is the bad one: Saturated, mono, or poly? The answer is none of the above. The only fat that's bad for you is the one that is damaged of manipulated by heat, light or oxygen, such as trans fats. Poly-unsaturated fats are the most fragile of fats, so they're not good for cooking; Instead, cook with mono or saturated fats.
So where can you get healthy fats?
Healthy fats are all around us. Lean meats, poultry and dairy products are good sources of saturated fats and in moderation can be part of a healthy diet. Saturated fats can also be found in coconut. Mono-saturated fats can be found in avocados, olive oil and nuts.
And as for those essential fatty acids? Load up on these things:
Want more info on the fats you should be eating? Check out AOL Health's guide to fats.
From an early age, we're told that fat is bad for us. We count it, avoid it, cut it from our recipes and diets. We stay away from things that are deep-fried or covered in cream, just in an effort to lower our fat consumption. We're drawn to flashy labels that say 'low fat!' and 'fat free!' And why? We're told it's the enemy, causing a myriad of problems like heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
But if you've been reading That's Fit for a while, you know it's not the enemy at all. In fact, it's an essential part of your diet.So why do you need fat?
The thing is, your body needs fat because it's partially made of fat. Yeah, I know what you're thinking -- the fat is all in your butt and thighs -- but that's simply not true. To say that your brain is mostly fat is not an insult -- it's true. Your brain is composed of 60% fats. And that thing that keeps your blood pumping, the heart? 60% of its energy comes from burning fats. Your nerves? They're protected by -- you guessed it -- fats. You can read lots more fat facts by clicking here.
But are all fats created equal?
Fats are a complex thing, and there's more than one kind of fat. In fact, there's three:
- Saturated Fats,
- Mono-unsaturated fats,
- Poly-unsaturated fats, including omega 3 and omega 6. Also known as the Essential Fatty Acids.
Here's a question: Which fat is the bad one: Saturated, mono, or poly? The answer is none of the above. The only fat that's bad for you is the one that is damaged of manipulated by heat, light or oxygen, such as trans fats. Poly-unsaturated fats are the most fragile of fats, so they're not good for cooking; Instead, cook with mono or saturated fats.
So where can you get healthy fats?
Healthy fats are all around us. Lean meats, poultry and dairy products are good sources of saturated fats and in moderation can be part of a healthy diet. Saturated fats can also be found in coconut. Mono-saturated fats can be found in avocados, olive oil and nuts.
And as for those essential fatty acids? Load up on these things:
- Cold water fish
- Flax seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Vegetable oils
- Margarine.
Want more info on the fats you should be eating? Check out AOL Health's guide to fats.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Natalie 7-23-2008 @ 12:35PM
All I have to say is THANK YOU for not demonizing saturated fats! I would reconsider the recommendation for margarine though, it is full of chemicals and often rancid polyunsaturated fats or (even worse) trans fats. Butter is better =)
Reply
Lisa 9-11-2008 @ 10:54PM
Read for yourself why our supplements are better than the rest! Money back guarantee! http://www.Shaklee.net/GoGoShack We have a great Omega Oil supplement; research to back up the purity and bio-availability. Best of health to all!
Reply
gloria 9-12-2008 @ 6:34AM
I have a question how safe is high fructose corn syrup? I have heard that it interferes with insulin and I believe it may contribute to weight gain. Should we be afraid? See below, and she is not the only one, even Sanja Gupta the physician on tv says bad for you and alot of others also.
Nancy Appleton, PhD, clinical nutritionist, has compiled a list of the harmful effects of fructose in her books Lick the Sugar Habit, Healthy Bones, Heal Yourself With Natural Foods, The Curse Of Louis Pasteur and Lick the Sugar Habit Sugar Counter. She points out that consumption of fructose causes a significant increase in the concentration of uric acid; after ingestion of glucose, no significant change occurs. An increase in uric acid can be an indicator of heart disease.12 Furthermore, fructose ingestion in humans results in increases in blood lactic acid, especially in patients with preexisting acidotic conditions such as diabetes, postoperative stress or uremia. Extreme elevations cause metabolic acidosis and can result in death.13
Fructose is absorbed primarily in the jejunum before metabolism in the liver. Fructose is converted to fatty acids by the liver at a greater rate than is glucose.14 When consumed in excess of dietary glucose, the liver cannot convert all of the excess fructose in the system and it may be malabsorbed. The portion that escapes conversion may be thrown out in the urine. Diarrhea can be a consequence.19 A study of 25 patients with functional bowel disease showed that pronounced gastrointestinal distress may be provoked by malabsorption of small amounts of fructose.26
Fructose interacts with oral contraceptives and elevates insulin levels in women on "the pill."17
In studies with rats, fructose consistently produces higher kidney calcium concentrations than glucose. Fructose generally induces greater urinary concentrations of phosphorus and magnesium and lowered urinary pH compared with glucose.18
In humans, fructose feeding leads to mineral losses, especially higher fecal excretions of iron and magnesium, than did subjects fed sucrose. Iron, magnesium, calcium, and zinc balances tended to be more negative during the fructose-feeding period as compared to balances during the sucrose-feeding period.19
There is significant evidence that high sucrose diets may alter intracellular metabolism, which in turn facilitates accelerated aging through oxidative damage. Scientists found that the rats given fructose had more undesirable cross-linking changes in the collagen of their skin than in the other groups. These changes are also thought to be markers for aging. The scientists say that it is the fructose molecule in the sucrose, not the glucose, that plays the larger part.20
Because it is metabolized by the liver, fructose does not cause the pancreas to release insulin the way it normally does. Fructose converts to fat more than any other sugar. This may be one of the reasons Americans continue to get fatter. Fructose raises serum triglycerides significantly. As a left-handed sugar, fructose digestion is very low. For complete internal conversion of fructose into glucose and acetates, it must rob ATP energy stores from the liver.21
Not only does fructose have more damaging effects in the presence of copper deficiency, fructose also inhibits copper metabolism--another example of the sweeteners double-whammy effect. A deficiency in copper leads to bone fragility, anemia, defects of the connective tissue, arteries, and bone, infertility, heart arrhythmias, high cholesterol levels, heart attacks, and an inability to control blood sugar levels.22
Although these studies were not designed to test the effects of fructose on weight gain, the observation of increased body weight associated with fructose ingestion is of interest. One explanation for this observation could be that fructose ingestion did not increase the production of two hormones, insulin and leptin, that have key roles in the long-term regulation of food intake and energy expenditure.23
HYPERSENSIVITY
The magnitude of the deleterious effects of fructose varies depending on such factors as age, sex, baseline glucose, insulin, triglyceride concentrations, the presence of insulin resistance, and the amount of dietary fructose consumed.24 Some people are more sensitive to fructose. They include hypertensive, hyperinsulinemic, hypertriglyceridemic, non-insulin dependent diabetic people, people with functional bowel disease and postmenopausal women.25
Everyone should avoid over-exposure to fructose, but especially those listed above. One or two pieces of fruit per day is fine, but commercial fruit juices and any products containing high fructose corn syrup aremore dangerous than sugar and should be removed from the diet.
REFERENCES
2. Appleton, Nancy, PhD, Fructose is No Answer For a Sweetener, http://www.mercola.com/2002/jan/5/fructose.htm
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High fructose corn syrup is the primary sweetener used in soft drinks, now readily available to children in school vending machines. The soft drink industry increased US production from 22 to 41 gallons of soft drinks per person a year between 1970 and 1997.
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