Many of us were brought up eating and drinking low fat foods. Skim milk, no fat yogurt, low fat margarine and mayonnaise. The list goes on. Unfortunately, the low-fat craze has led to the fattening of Americans.
Finally, the pendulum has swung, and we have re-learned about the importance of fat in the diet, not all fats mind you, but the “healthy Fats” (see below fats to avoid)
So, what are some signs that would tell you to increase fat in your diet?
- You are always hungry, or you are not completely satisfied after meals
- You get cranky or angry easily
- Your memory is not great, you experience brain fog
- To increase your HDL (good) cholesterol
- You have difficulty losing weight, or your weight tends to yo yo.
- Your joints ache
- You have dry skin and or dry eyes
- You experience hormone imbalances
What are some examples of healthy Fats? How do I add these to my diet? If you want to add additional fat to your diet, you need to do it responsibility. It is not a good idea to add fat by ordering a supersize french fries at a fast food restaurant. We would also not recommend increasing your ice-cream intake
To add fat to your diet, try some of these ideas:
- If you eat dairy, switch to full fat versions of cheese, milk, sour cream, cottage cheese etc.
- Add some healthy fat to your vegetables and salads examples include:
- Extra virgin olive oil (best when eating vegies raw, do not heat above 350 degrees
- Add grass fed butter or ghee (clarified butter) to cooked vegetables
- Sauté your vegetables in ghee or coconut oil
- Eat avocados
- Snack on nuts
- Put butter on your toast
- Enjoy some nut butter
- Add a tablespoon of coconut oil to your smoothie
- Enjoy some of the fat found on your grass-fed meats, leave the skin on chicken when you cook it. Eat fatty fish such as salmon
Fats to avoid (because they are processed) include: canola oil, any seed oil, margarine, corn oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil, hydrogenated oils (they are solid at room temperature).
Let us know if we can help you introduce healthy fats into your diet, we would love to help you feel better!!
Ann & Emily
