The Skinny on Fats and Oils

Ask the average American what they know about saturated fats and cholesterol and they will tell you simply that they’re bad for you and are the main causes of heart and other degenerative diseases. One would think, with the collective wisdom, that there is nothing good that can come from saturated fats and cholesterol. But – is it true? You may be surprised to find out that including some saturated fats and cholesterol in your diet is actually ESSENTIAL for your good health.

Did you know that saturated fats:

• Make up at least 50 percent of our cell membranes, providing essential rigidity and strength
• Enhance the immune system
• Help incorporate calcium into our bones
• Some have antimicrobial properties that protect us against harmful microorganisms in our digestive tracts

And cholesterol:

• Contributes to cell membrane rigidity and strength, just as saturated fats do
• Is used to make hormones that help us deal with stress, as well to make sex hormones
• Is converted to vitamin D, essential for proper growth, healthy bones, a healthy nervous system, muscle tone, and proper immune system function
• Is used to make bile, needed for digestion of fat in our foods
• Acts as an antioxidant, actually protecting us against cellular damage that leads to heart disease and cancer
• Helps protect against autoimmune disease by maintaining a healthy intestinal lining.

As you can see, saturated fat and cholesterol are needed for many vital processes. It’s when we eat damaged fats and cholesterol from foods like hydrogenated oils, pasteurized and powdered dairy products, and fried meats that injury to the walls of our blood vessels and plaque build occur – leading to cardiovascular and other diseases. Stick with foods concentrated with sources of healthy fats and/or cholesterol like avocadoes, nuts, seeds, cold pressed virgin olive oil, virgin coconut oil, red palm oil, organic eggs, chicken, and grass-fed beef. That way, you’ll do your body good and keep those pipes flowing like they should.

The First Meal Of The Day

When it comes to health, fitness, and staying happy, every positive thing you do for yourself helps. So, why not start at breakfast? According to research studies, there are four simple rules you can follow at breakfast time to help you shed pounds, fight sugar crazvings, and boost your mood to boot.

1. Get into a daily habit. Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. Eating a healthy, well-balanced meal in the morning helps you sustain your energy levels and can prevent those late-day sugar/carb snack cravings that are a lot of people’s downfall.

2. Don’t wait. Breakfast packs the most energy sustaining punch if you eat it within an hour or so of waking up. When you first wake up, your brain is still washed with a chemical that masks hunger pangs, but your blood sugar is low. To cut those sugar cravings that will come later, eat early – even if you’re not hungry.

3. Eat complex carbohydrates. Go with things like whole-grain cereals, steel-cut oats and/or high-fiber fruits. The fiber helps your blood sugar stabilize and the bulk helps you feel full longer.

4. Bump it up with protein. Protein in your stomach slows digestion, it acts to keep your blood sugar on an even keel, and protein containing a bit of depression-fighting tryptophan helps your mood. The Doc suggests eating 1/3 of your daily protein at breakfast.

Need more reasons to make a healthy breakfast part of your routine?

Studies show that people who eat breakfast have greater success at weight loss and weight maintenance than those who don’t.

A high fiber breakfast will help you stay more alert than if you start your day with a high-fat meal.

Eating whole rather than refined grain cereal can lower your risk for heart disease.

Are your mornings rushed? If you don’t think you’ve got time for breakfast in the morning, stock your fridge with ready-to-eat goodies for the go.

Throw some fruit and veggies in one sandwich bag and a hard-boiled egg in another. Then, grab a yogurt cup (and maybe a napkin while you’re at it) – and you’re off. Eat an early, nutritious to-go meal like that and you won’t be hit with those sudden hunger pangs that make the drive-thru seem tempting later on.