It’s time to talk about FAT! The three ­letter word we seem to have learned to hate! It has such negative connotations, and we have been programmed into avoiding it at all costs BUTTTTTT there are GOOD fats as well as BAD. And these good fats can actually HELP you to lose weight!!

Let’s distinguish between the GOOD, THE BAD AND THE WOBBLY.

The big difference is between saturated and un-saturated fats, which you will have heard of in a million adverts but may not have necessarily understood. The easiest way to tell them apart is to remember that most unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature and saturated fats are solid. Why is that important I hear you cry?!?!

Well imagine olive oil inside your cells. It’s fluid and this will keep them nice and fluid.

Whereas EXCESS amounts of solid fats will just block them up. (SMALL  amounts of good solid fats like grass fed butter and coconut oil are perfectly fine for you)

So, where is the best place to find these naturally?

Unsaturated fats are found in oily fish such as salmon and sardines, nuts (NOT roasted) like cashew nuts, almonds, seeds, avocados, flax seed, olive oil.

Saturated fats are found in things like red meat, cheese and butter. As I say, SMALL amounts of these are fine. But limit your intake.

NOTE: Due to it’s consistency  coconut oil could be considered a saturated fat, and it is, however it is an slight exception to the rule – since coconut oil is about 2/3 medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), also called medium-chain triglycerides or MCTs. These types of fatty acids produce a whole host of health benefits. However, the other 40% are long chain triglycerides, meaning there is still unhealthy sat fat in there – so be careful with the new craze on coconut oil!

Moderation is always key, so even with the good fats, don’t overdose, as there are also links between too many unsaturated fats and health problems.

And speaking of health problems, let’s talk about The Wobbly. The one type of fat that is SO bad for your health that in the last few years there have been calls to completely ban their use in the food industry. These are called hydrogenated fats aka TRANS FATS.

It is important to know that this type of fat rarely occurs in nature and therefore is man-made especially for those who want to extend the shelf life of their products -Tut Tut Tut- like ready meals, certain take-aways, and general junk food. Most nutritionists recommend the only genuinely safe level of dietary trans fat, is ZERO!!!!!!!

So, IF you want to indulge, there are higher quality cakes and chocolate that do NOT contain trans fats. Always check the label.

And lastly. Don’t think that LOW FAT is the way forward. Low fat foods have the good fat removed, and therefore in order for them to taste at all appealing, they replace the fat with sugar. And here’e the killer – sugar turns to fat and is also toxic, and can cause a plethora health issues.

So, be mindful that not all fats are bad, just know the good from the bad. Please don’t be lured into thinking that all fats make you fat! Body fat and dietary fat are two completely different fats, so if you eat your GOOD fats mindfully, you will find that they will help keep you fuller for longer, and in the long run help your health and keep you body in perfect shape!

A x