A Crash Course In Dietary Fats
It took a while for me to get it through my fat head* that healthy fats are, in fact, a healthy part of a balanced diet. And, if you’re like me, you may have had (or continue to have) the same ambivalent feelings toward fats because, well, we’ve been told so many times that eating fats will make you fat.
The truth is that nature doesn’t make bad fats, factories do. That said, there are some dietary fats you’ll want to avoid. Here’s a breakdown …
*Literally, my head is fat, and so is yours — the human brain is made up of about 60 percent fat.
Saturated Fats
Found in products such as meat, dairy, and eggs, saturated fat can also be found in some plant-based sources such as coconut, palm, and palm kernel oils. High-quality, minimally-processed saturated fats can be beneficial (and no, they won’t increase your risk of heart attacks!).
These types of fat assist in carrying fat-soluble vitamins (A,D,E,K). They also provide a concentrated source of energy and serve as building blocks for cell membranes and a variety of hormones and hormone-like substances. Additionally — yep, there’s more! — they make you feel satiated (full) and assist with mineral absorption.
You can find saturated fats in avocados, raw dairy, butter made from raw grass-fed organic milk, coconuts and coconut oil, raw nuts, grass fed meats, and organic pastured egg yolks.
