Bridget Bites : How I Feel About Fat

Q:

What is your opinion on nut butters and the idea ‘fat is bad’ ???

A:

Hi!

I think the idea that fat is bad is complete bull. Fat is an extremely important macronutrient – we need it for healthy hormone function, strong hair, skin and nails, not to mention our need for fat soluble vitamins such as A, D, E and K. Plus it makes food taste delicious, and keeps us satiated. I am a huge advocate for healthy fat in our diets, and I wish it were less vilified.

Where I feel we go wrong however, is the sources of fat that we choose to consume. When we eat large quantities of plant-derived oils such as palm seed oil, we throw out our ratios of Omega 3 to 6 to majorly favor Omega 6. This is not good; our diets should be skewed to favor Omega 3 as much as possible, in order to reduce inflammation, and maintain good general mental health. We want a 1.5:1 ratio ideally. Maintaining this ratio is tricky – vegetable oils are everywhere! Consuming high levels of fat from animal foods is not ideal either; a high intake of saturated fat can lead to heart disease and other complications down the line.

The way I try to combat this is to eat fat in its most natural state. I love avocado, olives and nuts. Walnuts and macadamia nuts in particular are a good hook up of omegas. When cooking I choose a high quality olive oil or avocado oil. If you eat fish, enjoy wild salmon regularly. A good, high quality algae oil is a great call for the vegans out there – just to make sure you hit your requirements. Plant-based food sources contain the precursor ALA, and it has a low conversion rate to the important DHA – so make sure you supplement here!

I eat a lot of fat in my diet. I tend to avoid refined carbohydrates, and I make up for it by eating a higher level of fat in my diet. I could never ever be a HCLF person – my digestion just isn’t strong enough for all those carbohydrate spikes! Every person is different, and it is up to you to find out how much of each macronutrient ensures you feel the best.

Nut butters are delicious and a great travel snack. My only issue with them is to ensure that there aren’t any other oils, salt or sugar added. I also find sticking to single serves ideal, because that stuff is moreish!

Eat real food, not too much, mostly plants.

It is a simple as you make it 😀

 

Love,

Bridget