The Facts on Fat, Made Simple

Every time I walk into a supermarket, I’m slapped in the face with “fat free” “low fat” and “a low source of dietary fat” labels. Coming at me left and right, I feel bombarded with this billion-dollar diet industry, as they try to convince us to buy their crappy products so we have crappy health and invest in more crappy products to fix our crappy health.

Living in a decade where everything boasts as being low fat, mainstream society has developed an aversion to one of the world’s most satiating macronutrients.

Long ago, a few dudes thought they discovered the main cause for the increase in obesity. They ignored the obvious fact that the real cause of weight gain is just malnutrition and over consumption, and instead, observed a correlation between weight gain and dietary fat. This had the diet industry very excited to say the least.

All of a sudden, unnatural ingredients, artificial flavorings, refined sugar and packaged goods took the spotlight and were labeled as “fat free” in order to get consumers to buy into this new trend.

And guess what? The obesity rate soared when we bought into fake garbage. Surprise.

Where is the logic behind thinking a “100 calorie pack” of fat-free marshmallows is healthier than half of an avocado? Or that fat-free, sugar-loaded salad dressing is better than olive oil?

With this article, I’m hoping to clear up a few things in regards to fat.

If you’re thriving in the paleo industry, you probably don’t need this information…though, I think it’d be cool for you to stick around.

For those of you that are still skeptical, here we go.

Fat is healthy, natural and satiating; it is not to be avoided but to be sought out, especially for fat loss. Aside from carbohydrates, fat is one of your body’s favorable sources of fuel and energy. Surprisingly, it is actually burned more efficiently than any macronutrient in the human body. The body utilizes fat when it is the primary source of energy, and the brain finds it just as seductive as if it were a delicious piece of cake in a tiny black dress.

Are you confused by the difference between healthy fat and unhealthy fat?

What’s more, scientific studies have shown that diets rich in omega-3 and monounsaturated fats reduce the chances of cancer, diabetes, cognitive decline, obesity and heart-related diseases. Fat also acts as a lubricator, giving a healthy glow to skin, nails and hair; it is also very helpful for digestion and the dispersion of nutrients.

Another great pointer: fat keeps us satiated and actually minimizes cravings. Fat decreases our desire to indulge in nutrient-lacking sweets and it fills our bellies comfortably. Next time you have a craving for nighttime sweets, think about your diet that day. Did you eat your morning egg yolks as well as your lunchtime avocado? What about a handful of nuts? When you equally disperse your fat intake throughout the day, the chances that you’re going to have a craving towards the end of the night are very small.

Now that I have your attention, let’s take a deeper at the different types of fats. At 9 calories per gram, there are two types of main fats: unsaturated and saturated.

Saturated fats are solid at room temperature and liquid when combined with heat; the natural sources of this fat include animal fats, coconut oil, butter, cheeses and other various oils. Yum! These are the bomb to say the least. Eat your saturated fats.

In some products, you may find something called trans fat. This is a fat that has been changed through hydrogenation in order to make the shelf life longer so that it can sit in the grocery store forever, or until you decide to snatch it up. Trans fats should be avoided; stay away from the processed chips, cookies, crackers and cheap treats and instead opt for homemade snacks with coconut oil or grass-fed butter as the base.

Unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature; this includes olive oil, nut oil (not optimal) and various vegetable oils (definitely not optimal). Some of these fats have been proven to increase your “good” cholesterol levels, though most fats in general can benefit you in this area. Monounsaturated fats are quoted to lower heart disease risks and polyunsaturated fats contain many benefits for brain function, all located inside of their omega-3 and omega-6 acids. You can find these fats in nuts as well as fish. Many people take additional supplements to improve their omega intake, though you can get plenty of these fats just from healthy food choices. In my opinion, stick with olive oil and fish and avoid overdoing polyunsaturated fats. There is some controversy in regards to PUFAs (polyunsaturated fats) but they’re in SO many things that’s it pretty difficult to avoid and even if you made it your life’s mission to avoid them, it would take a year or more to be completely free. Just eat them in moderation, like all things.

Now, if you’re not yet sold on the power of fat, think about this. Medium chain triglycerides (MCT) are absorbed and burned quickly. If the body is given this kind of fat, it will use it efficiently to fuel the nervous system and various tissues in the body. This is also linked to the production of ketones, which will also feed off of a fatty diet to produce a quicker metabolism. MCT is found inside of coconut oil, which is why many researchers recommend coconut oil in your morning coffee to kick-start the fat burning process. The only “downfall” of this recommendation is that the fat burning is less than optimal when paired with a high carbohydrate diet. You might need to cut back on carbs (we’re not talking about veggie carbs) in order to consume high quantities of fat for fat loss and aesthetic goals because carbohydrates are also a primary source of energy. Your body needs to know which source to use, but optimally-speaking, fat is the best for weight loss. With that said, if you’re at a perfectly healthy weight and not looking to get thuper lean, then you enjoy eating fats and carbs in whatever quantities you desire. That’s how I roll, at least.

Simply said, fat is necessary in any diet, no matter if you are looking for strength gains, weight loss, weight gain or maintenance. If you just want to seek optimum health, but you’re not necessarily looking to drop weight, incorporate fat into your diet nonetheless. Start your morning off with a few egg yolks and a couple pieces of bacon for a satiating fat-burning breakfast. There are so many great benefits to a fat-enriched diet that you simply should not miss out on!