THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE NEUTRAL
Not all fats are the same. Different fats work differently in our bodies. So, don’t just simply eat fats without knowing what are smart fats. Scientists place fats into categories on the basis of their chemical architecture, specifically, the presence of what chemicals call double bonds. FATS that have no double bonds are called “saturated” fats; FATS that have one double bond are called “monounsaturated” fats; and FATS that have more than one double bond ae “polyunsaturated” fats. Polyunsaturated fats are further divided into omega-6s and omega-3s.
The best fats are those yield clear health benefits, including weight loss. Some fats are pure junk and the worst of them are deadly. SOme fats will add flavor and texture to your daily diet, but they won’t have much effect on your health. Those fats are “neutral” and they pretty much get a free pass. Unlike smart fats, you don’t need to make a special effort to add them to your diet, but you don’t need to make a special effort to avoid them either.
GOOD (SMART) FATS
– Olives, olive oil, avocados, most nuts(almonds, pecans, walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, and macadamia nuts), and seeds(chia, flax, and pumpkin).
– Fatty fish and fish oils.
– Dark chocolate
– Coconut, coconut oil, and medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil
BAD (DUMB) FATS
– Trans fats found in fast foods and packaged foods. Also called hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, trans fats are biochemically similar to liquid plastic, essentially acting like embalming fluid in your tissues. Trans fats might lengthen a food’s shelf life, but they will shorten your shelf life.
– “Vegetable” oils that have been highly refined and chemically altered through industrial processes; they’ve damaged fats, processed with high heat and extracted with nasty chemicals.
– Fats from animals are shot full of chemicals, hormones, and pesticides. Think of these animals as toxic; their fat is equally so.
– Fats high in omega-6s, especially if they are used in foods that dont’t have any other redeeming benefit.
NEUTRAL FATS
– Certain (clean) saturated fats – such as palm oil or the fat found naturally in grass-fed and organically raised animal protein, such as beef, lard, butter, yogurt, milk, cream, and cheese.
In general, neutral fats may not necessarily improve health, but they certainly won’t cause any harm.
