It’s so great to see the clean eating, paleo and LCHF ways of eating becoming so mainstream and just as great to see so many people going back to traditional ways of cooking, just like their grandparents and great grandparents did.
Whether you’re completely new to this lifestyle or have been at it a while, you’ll know the importance of including healthy fats in your diet. But have you ever delved into why this is crucial?
Here are just a few of the reasons why good fat is a necessary part of your diet:
- Provide fuel - when you aren’t consuming sugars and grains your body looks to fuel itself on fats so it’s important you are eating the right amount of the right kinds of fats
- It keeps you satiated - because fat needs to be broken down through multiple processes and organs including the stomach, liver, gallbladder and small intestine, it stays in your body for a while which helps with hunger pangs
- Essential for proper functioning of nerves and the brain - Our brain contains a large amount of essential fats and fats form part of the material that wraps around nerves cells so they can send electrical messages
- Transporting fat soluble vitamins through the body - Vitamins A, D, E and K are all transported through our bloodstream with the help of fats
Now of course we are a fad driven society so when you think of fats, most people think of the new kid on the block - coconut oil. But for hundreds of years, long before the term “paleo eating” was conceived, people were eating delicious dripping and lard to maintain their health and make their food taste even better.
Now don’t get us wrong, coconut oil certainly has its place but if you want to avoid the same background taste and smell with every meal you cook as well as increase the flavour of your food and have the ability to use a fat that will enhance rather than overpower your meal - you can’t go past the variety that animal fat offers.
Still not sure exactly what fats you should be consuming? Here’s a few ideas:
- Lard - preferably free range
- Dripping - preferably organic and grass fed
- Duck fat
- Avocados
- Nuts and seeds
- Grass fed butter
- Coconut Oil
But of course not all kinds of fats are good for us. In fact the over processed oils on most supermarket shelves are doing us a lot more harm than good so should definitely be avoided.
What types of oils should you be avoiding?
- Canola oil
- sunflower oil
- Soybean oil
- Cottonseed oil
- Margarine
So it’s really not hard to increase the amount of good fats in your diet. With so many options available you really can add a little fat to every dish you make and enjoy the variety of flavours that will compliment your cooking.
Looking for inspiration? Check out the recipes page on our website. Want to find out more about the lifestyle benefits of good fats? Just click here
