Do fats make us Fat?

I have not posted blogs lately due to some life and workloads keeping me busy. But finally here to start up this year on the right path.

We have all heard the taboos and demonizing of fats and even the use of the word fat. As a child I remember my grandparents using lard and butter for cooking and never thought anything of it. They lived long lives passing 90 years of age while eating foods that were claimed to be harmful towards their health. Obesity was uncommon during those days as well as diseases associated with it, such as diabetes. As time went by, we began hearing about fats causing heart disease and began seeing products coming out to the markets like margarine, butter substitutes and hydrogenated oils. Trans fats have brought on many health problems like heart disease.

There are three types of dietary fats, saturated fats, polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats. Saturated fats come from animal origins like dairy products and meats. Other saturated fats come from certain plant form like coconut, almonds and peanuts. These fats are healthy as long as we limit ourselves to eating excessive amounts. Polyunsaturated fats found in vegetable oils like safflower, sunflower and canola oils are somewhat healthy and may even lower cholesterol levels. Fatty fish are a great source of omega 3 fatty acids that have been found to be beneficial. A better tasting oil is olive oil, a monounsaturated fat is a favorite in the fitness industry. Olive oil is great under higher cooking temperatures in which it doesn’t break down as easily. The same can be said for MCT oil. I am a fan of MCT oil for some cooking and post workout with my shakes whenever I follow a diet like Ketogenic diets. If there is one fat I avoid at all cost, it is Trans – fatty acids. Trans- fatty acids are found in processed foods such as chips, breads, cookies and many other junk foods to name. Trans fats are a leading cause for health diseases from high cholesterol, insulin resistance and cancer. It is always good to get in the habits of reading product labels. If the product does not specify that it has no Trans- fatty acids. Assume it does.

If you follow my blog, you may know that I have gone back on a ketogenic diet, which is the best diet for cutting weight for my body. Ketogenic diets are high fat, low carb diets, most carbs coming from vegetables. The fats that are in my pantry and fridge are listed here.

Olive oil, MCT oil and coconut oils. Hard cheeses like cheddar and plain yogurt. Heavy whipping cream with my coffee. I still eat dairy. Never forget the importance of calcium and protein.

Bacon in limited amounts, fats from whole eggs and fats from meats. I do count the grams of fats in meats that I cook. For cutting weight, lean meats are preferred.

Avocado is a stable in my diet, I am a huge fan of guacamole.

Almonds, almond butter, peanuts and natural peanut butter. Some peanut butter products are questionable when it come to hidden trans – fats. Read the labels.

We have learned so much since the invention of the internet, Doing our own research when it comes to anything related to foods we consume is not only a great way of learning, but it may save lives in many cases. We have been getting sold products that may look to be healthy, but have hidden unhealthy oils and fats. The word fat should be a positive when it comes to food. Healthy fats are a great source of energy for both training and day to day activities. Our bodies need fats. We can function without carbs, but not without fats. Men who cut fat completely will have a drop in testosterone levels. This fact was put to the test by me years ago when I cut fats from my diet. My energy and libido dropped to noticeable levels. People who follow carnivore diets never cut the fat from the meats. We will discuss carnivore diets in another blog post. One last thing I will emphasize on following a high fat diet like Keto is, If you follow the diet correctly, you will get leaner or shredded depending on your goal. So let go of this thinking on fats and do your own research on what you consume.