The Fat Myth

Here's another lesson from Ultrametabolism :) I think it's so important to understand FAT and not buy into the myth that fat makes us fat. Check this out:

The author says there are three kinds of fats, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

• Good fats turn on the genes in your DNA that increase your metabolism, help you burn fat more quickly, and become healthier.
  
• Bad fats are the ones that affect your metabolism adversely, making it difficult to burn the weight you would like to.
• Ugly fats (trans fats) are a different animal entirely. These are man-made fats that simply cannot be properly digested by your body at all. These fats interrupt the natural operation of your cells and have the capacity to affect your health in radically negative ways.
  

Here is a list of the fats:

Good fats

• Omega-3 Fats :
  ( Including: Wild fish, wild salmon, herring, sardines, and fresh anchovies. Flaxseeds and flax oil. Some types of nuts and seeds like walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and hemp seeds.)
  
• Monosaturated Fats:
  (Extra Virgin olive oil, Hazelnuts, Almonds, Brazil nuts, Cashews, Avocado, Sesame seeds, Pumpkin seeds)
  
• Some Saturated Fats:
  (Raw coconut, Coconut Milk, Coconut oil, Palm fruit oil, Macadamia nut oil)
• Unrefined Omega-6 Polyunsaturated Fats (in small doses)
  (Grape seed oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, walnut oil, sesame oil)
  

Bad Fats

• Refined Polyunsaturated Vegetable Oil
  (corn, soy, safflower, and vegetable oil)
• Most saturated Fats
  (Beef, pork, lamb, chicken and dairy foods are the main sources of saturated fats.)

Ugly Fats

• Hydrogenated Oils or Trans Fats
  (Margarine, shortening. "They are found in nearly every processed or commercially baked or packaged food because they never spoil. They are like plastic: they stay stable in landfills for generation after generation. Ever wonder how a package of Ritz crackers can have an expiration date of a few years from now? Keep a tub of margarine open on the counter and you'll find that no bug will go near it!" (Creepy isn't it. And to think, we're putting this into our bodies! ) "If you eat Twinkies and Hostess cupcakes you are consuming large amounts of trans fats. Those fats speak directly to your DNA, turning on a gene that slows down your metabolism, causing you to gain weight... Read your food labels and watch out for 'hydrogenated' and 'partially hydrogenated' oils that are the two culprits."
  

As a side note, a feedlot-raised steer, has 500 percent more saturated fat in its tissues than a grass-fed steer. So try and choose the cleaner forms of animal protein whenever possible.

In summary:

• It is not a question of eating low-fat versus a high-fat diet: it's a question of the type of fat you eat.
  
• Essential Omega-3 fats are good fats. They come from fish, flaxseeds, and nuts, enhance and improve your metabolism, and promote weight loss. Eat more of them.
  
• Trans fats are ugly fats that cause weight gain, impaired metabolism, inflammation, and diabetes. NEVER eat them.

What I love about this book is it's honesty and clarity. It shows how it's difficult to eat the healthier foods as the unhealthy ones are subsidized and advertised for. But try and get your diet as clean and whole as possible and you will be much healthier and thinner for it.