Why eating fat makes you thin
Eating foods high in fat has long been associated with weight gain – but that actually couldn’t be further from the truth.
In fact, eating the right type of fats can actually help you lose weight.
Of course stuffing yourself with chips, burgers and ice cream won’t do your waist line any favours, but one category of fats, called Essential Fats, are a vital part of a balanced diet and an important tool for weight loss too.
These good fats are found in foods such as fish, including salmon, tuna, herring, mackerel and shellfish.
They are also in flaxseed, hemp oil, soya oil, rapeseed oil coconut oil and milk, olives and olive oil, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, nuts, walnuts, leafy vegetables as well as avocados.
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Foods high in essential fats |
Essential fats also help your body feel fuller for longer – meaning you are less likely to reach for the biscuit tin in-between meals.
They are also vital for maintaining a healthy immune system, help regulate blood pressure, the nervous system, help with blood clotting as well as regulating your hormones.
These good guys also make sure you have healthy hair and skin and even keep every cell in your body running efficiently – which can often stave off the more serious diseases such as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis or any other auto-immune disease.
This group of fats are considered ‘essential’ because our bodies can’t make them from scratch and can only get them from the food we put in our mouths.
Two essential fatty acids, called linoleic and alpha-linoleic, are used to build specialised fats called Omega-3 and Omega-6.
Warning signs that your body is lacking in Essential Fats
These include poor skin and hair quality, wounds that won’t heal properly, poor resistance to infections, inflammatory diseases like eczema, asthma, psoriasis, arthritis, circulatory disorders, hormone imbalances, depression, anxiety and mood swings
Want to know more? Have a look at:
www.pcrm.org/health/health-topics/essential-fatty-acids
or
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/omega-3-fats/
Recipe idea
Ingredients
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp of ground coriander
1 tbsp of ground cumin
8 ripe hass avocados
3 red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
juice of 3 lemons
2 tbsp freshly chopped chives
salt and pepper to taste
Method
In a large bowl combine the red onion, coriander and cumin.
Add the avocados to the bowl and mash well with a fork until smooth.
Add the chillies, lemon and season generously with salt and pepper, and mix well.
Sprinkle with the chopped chives and serve.
