Most of my clients worry that eating fat will make them fat. And it’s no wonder, we’ve been told this for decades. But as new scientific studies emerge proving the contrary, more and more people are turning to fats to help improve weight loss, brain health, cardiovascular function and immune health. Here’s 5 reasons why you should be getting more fats in your diet!
1. Eating fats help you burn more body fat
Hormones are the key components of regulating everything in our system, including our body weight. Burning body fat for energy is essential for losing weight. But to do this, you must have low insulin levels. Insulin is the hormone responsible for directing your fat cells to either hold onto fatty acids or release them. Whenever you consume carbohydrates, your body floods your bloodstream with insulin. So eating more carbohydrates, means less time in fat burning mode. Which means more fat accumulation in fat cells, leading to increased hunger and weight gain. Simple!
2. Fats are critical for cardiovascular health
You probably won’t hear this in mainstream media, but saturated fats – the so-called “bad” fats – play an essential role in cardiovascular health. The addition of saturated fat to your diet reduces the levels of a substance called lipoprotein that correlates strongly with risk for heart disease. Currently there are no medications to lower this substance and the only dietary means of lowering Lp(a) is eating saturated fat. Bet you didn’t hear that when you tuned into the news last night!
3. Fats improve metabolic function
Fat is actually requried to activate our metabolism. It helps our bodies absorb essential vitamins such as A, D, E and K found in the fruits and vegetables we eat. Including a mix of fats from things like avocados, coconut and MCT oil, and nuts in your diet can actually assist us in losing weight.
4. Fats assist our immune system
Saturated fats found in butter, coconut and MCT oil (myristic acid and lauric acid) are critical in immune health. Loss of sufficient saturated fatty acids in the white blood cells hampers their ability to recognise and destroy viruses, bacteria, and fungi. It’s essential we eat healthy fats to help keep the immune system vigilant against the development of cancerous cells as well as infectious invaders.
5. More fats equal a healthier brain
Our brains are primarily made of fat and cholesterol. And, the majority of those fatty acids are actually saturated. A diet that negates healthy saturated fats like MCT oil and organic animal fats thieves your brain of the raw materials it needs to function optimally.
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