We’ve been hearing it for years that fats are bad for us. But when it comes to overall health are they really?
We all know that trans fats are bad. But there is growing research to say not all fats are bad especially when you are on a weight loss plan. And here’s why…
Why we shouldn’t heat most oils
Unsaturated fats, when heated at very high temperatures, have their chemical bonds broken and the byproduct is trans fats. Trans fats have free radicals which are damaging for our cells and detrimental to our health. Trans fats also increase the risk of coronary heart disease by raising levels of LDL cholesterol and lowering levels of “good” HDL cholesterol.
So now we know we shouldn’t heat most liquid oils.
But what else can we use to cook? Other than animal fats, there is only one oil that is chemically stable enough to withstand the heat of cooking, and that’s coconut oil. There are a lot of benefits of coconut oil that we are only just beginning to understand.
What the experts can agree with.
Whether you agree with animal fat advocates or not, the one thing that everyone agrees with is that too much sugar is bad for you (which is why The Healthy Mummy Smoothie we use has the lowest levels of sugar in).
- We should all cut back on the refined sugars.
- A high quality cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil can’t go wrong if uncooked.
- Coconut oil is great for you (even Dr Oz thinks so!) cooked OR uncooked.
Fat Terminology
- Saturated fats/animals fats: usually solid at room temperature
- Unsaturated fats/seed or vegetable based oils: usually liquid at room temperature
- Trans fats: what happens to an unsaturated fat when it’s heated. It becomes a ‘bad’ fat.
But no matter what you believe about oils, don’t go overboard, there’s still lots of calories in every gram! All oil or fat does have a high calorie content which could slow your ability to lose stomach fat.
Perhaps we’ve raised more questions than we’ve answered, but ultimately, you should make the best health choices to fit in with you and your family and of course, your weight loss plan.
To see our weight loss plans that include good fats click here
