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Fats
Fat Choices
Summary:
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Get your essential fats everyday
from clean sources that are not heated or oxidized. Best are raw
nuts and seeds.
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Include good vegetable sources of
monounsaturated oils, extra-virgin olive oil in particular.
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Reduce the level of corn oils in
favor of canola, olive, walnut, etc.
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Avoid all foods that contain
trans-fats.
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Minimize (don't eliminate)
saturated fats.
Fats are a highly feared food component for a variety of reasons.
In the 40's and 50's fats were recognized as sources of cholesterol
and intake associated with the explosion in heart disease. Each of
these conclusions was in error for different reasons. Later, when
the fashion model became the standard, fats were seen as nothing by
high calorie sources and nearly eliminated from many dietary
schemes. This was a horrible mistake. The facts are that fats are
absolutely essential and are critical for performance and health
beyond an energy source. We've all heard the words "omega-3's" and
"fish oils" and "cholesterol", and recently, "trans-fats", but what
do they mean? Here is a primer with some links for more information
should you so desire.
You need two
essential fats in the diet that cannot be made by the body.
These fats must be in balance in order to work optimally.
Fortunately, the balance is broad. More detail is available,
however, let us call them omega-6 and omega-3 fats. Omega - 6 fats
are found in abundance in vegetable oils and are in too high excess
in the American diet because of the heavy use of corn oil. The
omega-3 oils are found in cold water fish such as tuna and
salmon and in fresh nuts and seeds particularly flax seeds, walnuts,
sunflower seeds, etc. These oils, in the right combination,
undamaged and fresh are responsible for more functions in the body
than I have time to discuss. In short, they aid in the control of
inflammation and pain, joint health, brain and nerve function, blood
pressure, heart rhythm and on and on.
The major problem is not only in the imbalance in these two oils
as I mentioned, but the oxidation and malformation of these fats (trans-fats)
in the processing of foods. These lead to substances that at best
are of no use in the body except for raw calories and at the worst,
toxic substances that have been implicated in inflammation, heart
and blood vessel damage and more. Often, the general public turns to
drugs to solve these problems and causing more problems. (remember
VIOXX and Celebrex?) See my links for more, but the best answer is
to get the best quality oils in the best places. My recommended
choices above will help. I will also discuss supplementing these
items in my supplements section.
To be sure, fats other than the essential fats do play an
important role that include the production of hormones, the
maintenance of brain and cell membrane integrity and more. Without
going into more detail, my general guidelines above will help to get
a nice balance of this important food source.
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