Good Fat Versus Bad Fat
Let’s talk about “good” fat versus “bad” fat. Yes, this means not all fats are created equal! There are several types of “bad” fats that you should definitely steer clear of. As well as good fats we should all look to increase in our diet.
Dietary intake of fat has gotten a lot of confusing backlash. Many of us have lived through the "fat free" era of the 80's. At this time in American history we saw 2 major things happen that started the unhealthy war against fat. First was the production of high fructose corn syrup. Second was the campaign by American governments that stated all fat was bad and contributed to bad levels of cholesterol. This set a cascade of "low fat" products on the supermarket shelves. Unfortunately for the consumers like you and me, this lead to food being depleted of nutritional fat (meaning that now you have to consume more), and food overflowing in sugar (in reality, the much worse high fructose corn syrup).
Since this time, diabetes in adolescence has risen over 70%. Meanwhile the CDC admits that 42.4% of adults had obesity in 2018. Whoa...
One of the most common misconceptions about fat is that fats cause high cholesterol. This is false. Research shows that cholesterol is actually an issue of too much sugar and processed bad oils, not an issue of too much (good) fat.
Good Fats I Recommend Are:
Good fats fall under the category of saturated and monounsaturated fats.
- Grass-fed ghee
- Avocados
- Avocado oil
- Cod liver oil
- MCT oil
- Flax, hemp and chia seeds
- Raw nuts
- Nut butters
- Raw butter and cream
- Raw cheese
- Coconut oils
Bad Fats I Recommend Avoiding Are:
Unhealthy or bad fats fall into the categories of trans fats, hydrogenated fats and polyunsaturated fats.
- Vegetable oils like canola, corn, safflower, soy and sunflower oils
- Commercial dressings
- Margarine and shortening
- Fried foods, like french fries, deep-fried fast foods, donuts
- Baked goods like cookies, biscuits, rolls, pastries
- Processed and packaged snack foods like crackers, popcorn and chips
- Frozen dinners
- Processed meats like sausage, pepperoni, hot dogs, etc
- Cake mix and frosting
- Pie crust and pizza dough
- Candy bars
- Pancakes and waffle mix
- Creamers
Nutrition is a key part in living a healthy lifestyle. Knowing bad from good fats is just a small piece to eating healthy. Here at Thrive Family Chiropractic we offer nutrition consultations to educate patients and get them on the right path. Call us today to set up a free nutrition consultation! 562-386-1415

