In my last post, I discussed the importance of eliminating sugar, especially refined sugar, and in particular, high fructose corn syrup.
Now, we are going to discuss fat in the diet. Fat has been blamed for causing many health conditions, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and obesity. The truth of the matter is, that fat is an essential nutrient that contains vitamins and minerals not found elsewhere in the food supply. Fat is also essential for the absorption of certain minerals and fat-soluble vitamins such as A (retinol), K2, E and D.
If you are interested in treating or preventing cancer, the important fat fact to know is that fat does not feed cancer cells, sugar does. This means that if you train your body to burn fat by reducing sugar and eating more fat, your cancer cells will not have the fuel they need to survive. Get this – you can dramatically improve your treatment results by changing your diet!
Let’s go further. Our brain cells are made up primarily of fat and too little of the right fats will lessen brain function and can lead to diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Proper hormone production is dependent on having enough fat and cholesterol. Fat is a more efficient energy source than glucose, so you will feel better and have more energy when eating fat is a part of your diet.
What’s more, fat is yummy and satiating – you won’t feel hungry and the sugar cravings will diminish rapidly as your body becomes accustomed to using fat as a fuel. For more details on adopting a ketogenic diet, check out this book: http://www.primalbody-primalmind.com/primalfatburner/
Not all fat is created equal, however. Fats from factory-farmed animals are high in omega-6 fatty acids, which lead to inflammation, and can also accumulate toxins from the food and drugs that the animals consume and are exposed to. The best animal fats are from pasture-raised and grass fed animals. These saturated fats are actually essential for the proper function of your brain, heart, energy level and hormone production and regulation.
The important fats to avoid are any processed fats such as trans fats in margarine, or other manufactured fat products. Many common vegetable oils such as corn, soybean, or canola are highly processed and go rancid easily, especially when exposed to light and heat. Many are packaged in clear plastic bottles which allow light in and causes a breakdown of the fats, making them very inflammatory in the body. These oils are commonly used in restaurants as they are inexpensive, and easily bought in bulk.
The better choices are minimally processed, organic oils such as olive, avocado, and coconut.
The bottom line is that fats are an essential nutrient and diets too low in fat can cause nutritional deficiencies. Remember that all fats are not created equal, and the sourcing of the fats you ingest, along with how they are processed and stored is very important.
A couple of books on this topic that I have found very useful are:
Eat Fat, Get Thin by Dr Mark Hyman
Primal Fat Burner by Nora Gedgaudas
To your health!