Don’t blame animal fats for what carbs and seed oils did.
You don’t find ‘bad fats’ in nature. If you are trying to work out which fats are ‘bad’, look no further than those which are produced in factories. Of all the crazy things humans have done to food, the most Frankenstein act of all has been our distortion of oils and fats.
Fat is not just good for you, FATS ARE ESSENTIAL! Natural fats are some of the best foods you can eat, and for most people they should be an important part of each meal. Some of the healthiest people in the world belong to populations whose diets depend largely on animal fats. Raw milk and red meat are examples of some of the most nourishing foods available to us. Cholesterol has been incorrectly demonized (please see my previous article for more about that!) when it is a healing agent. Also, due to dietary cholesterol in natural foods providing high satiety, it can be considered an appetite suppressant. I frequently discuss with clients the issue of “nighttime snacking”, and how suddenly (following a nice big steak or piece of salmon for dinner) they completely forget about snacking after the meal. Conversely, when natural fats are removed from the diet, your body hungers for true nourishment and satiety (and snacking can become a problem).
In a nutshell there are fats that heal, and fats that harm. The fats that harm have typically been extracted from hard seeds, using chemicals and extremely high heat. This chemical heat processing damages the oils to the point that their molecular structure is changed, making them toxic to humans. On top of that, unsaturated oils are sensitive to light and heat. Seeing these oils line the supermarket aisles in clear plastic bottles knowing they will be taken home and used for cooking is heartbreaking! These industrial oils, especially when in the company of carbohydrates, pave the way for everything you don’t want. Think weight gain, brain fog, gut inflammation, arterial inflammation, cardiovascular issues, autoimmunity, persistent illness and low immune function, hormone problems and more. It’s hard to believe that for decades the overlords have been telling us to eat carbs and non-butter spreads (like margarine) ‘for good health’, meanwhile demonizing red meat and making raw milk illegal.
Some of the most healing and nourishing fats are the saturated fats from animal foods and dairy. Grass-fed butter, ghee, coconut oil and beef tallow make the top 4 cooking fats, because they are saturated and therefore resistant to heat damage. Other natural fats such as cold pressed extra virgin olive oil have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds, however it is not recommended to cook with olive oil as these benefits are destroyed by heat.
Oils to avoid:
Canola oil
Cottonseed oil
Peanut oil
Safflower oil
Corn oil
Vegetable oil
Rapeseed oil
Grapeseed oil
Any hydrogenated oils
Any non-butter spreads (e.g. margarine)
Examples of foods that contain fats you want to avoid:
Commercial salad dressings
Soy based ‘meat’ products (fake meat)
Soy milk, rice milk, oat milk
Hot chips
Fried foods
Bakery goods
Crackers and chips
Commercial sauces and condiments
Commercial jars e.g. curry paste, pasta sauce etc
Fats to embrace and enjoy:
Butter/ghee from healthy pasture raised animals
Animal foods from healthy animals
Cold pressed extra virgin coconut oil
Coconut milk and cream (double check it’s pure)
Cold pressed extra virgin olive oil (cold, heating it destroys it)
Fatty fish (e.g. sardines, anchovies, and wild caught salmon)
Fish oil
Eggs
Cold pressed avocado oil
Saturated fats to enjoy (top choice for cooking!):
Grass-fed butter
Grass-fed ghee
Coconut oil
Beef tallow
If you would like personalized help with your goals, or someone to hold you accountable and ensure you are setting the right targets at the right pace with the right protocols, please click below to contact Sarah.