fat is on our mind...literally!

fat is on our mind...literally!

The dark side of white Oil

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Fat is one of the most misinterpreted topics in the nutrition field. We are still suffering the fallout from years of health advocates promoting low-fat this, and low-fat that.

Often, in the health field, we are faced with all-governing statements that try to establish clear-cut rules like, “all fats are bad”. More frequently, the truth lies in a more complex ruling; in this case, “there are fats that are GOOD, and fats that are BAD”.

NOT ALL FATS ARE CREATED EQUAL!

White oil, analogous to white sugar, white flour, and white salt, is devoid of the nutrients needed to properly be metabolized. There is a complex process that converts these oils from a healthy, “whole” oil, to a health-degrading white oil. Consider the following steps:

Step 1 - Obtain the seeds/nuts/beans
Step 2 - Extract oil (either by mechanical pressing or chemical extraction)
Extra-virgin, mechanically cold-pressed oils, are bottled at this stage.
Step 3 - Distill at 150 degrees Celsius
Step 4 - Degum
Step 5 - Refine
Step 6 - Bleach
Step 7 - Deodorize
Step 8 - Hydrogenate (shortenings and margarines)

Did you know that the mass of tissue in the picture below is 60% fat? And that every single one of our trillions of cells in our body is surrounded by fat?

We build these tissues with whatever fat we consume. Therefore, if too many saturated fats (long-chain), trans-fats, and hydrogenated oils are ingested, we suffer many consequences. The Harvard Medical School Study of 85,000 women, proved that “bad” fats were linked to heart disease. And thats just the absolute tip of the iceberg.

Where can I get good fats and oils?
Choose oils that are found in dark glass bottles.
For high heat use coconut oil; a very stable oil at high temperatures.
Eat plenty of nuts and seeds, raw and unsalted.
Make your own salad dressing with flax or olive oil.

Remember this...to remember this EAT FAT!

Josh

Interesting factoid!
Omega-3 fats, commonly found in fish oil and flax oil, can actually boost your metabolism and help you loose weight.

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