Energy and Oil – Healthy Fats
Fat has been getting a bad rap lately, but luckily there is also a lot of information out there about healthy fats. Everyone should load up on healthy fats. Without enough fat in your diet, your skin and hair will become dry, your energy will fall and you will be prone to injury and illness. Getting 20-30% of your calories from fat is a good rule of thumb. However, all fats are not created equal. Load up on healthy fats such as flaxseed oil, olive oil, raw almonds, walnuts, almond butter and avocados (and fatty fish if you eat fish). Some saturated fat is required for optimal health, so get some coconut oil or coconut milk in your diet as well. Coconut oil is great for cooking, especially at high heat and has a great flavor.
For optimal health, you should definitely avoid fried foods, high-fat meals, lunch meats, bacon, ham, and any foods cooked in animal fats. You should also avoid all trans fats. They will show up on labels as ‘hydrogenated’ or ‘partially hydrogenated’ oils and are associated with just about every disease known to man. Suffice it to say that they are bad and need to be eliminated, period.
Here’s more information on eating the right kind of fat!