Fats:
what to include, what to skip to arm your immune system!
There is no denying fat is delicious and satiating. But fat also serves very many important functions in the body such as absorption of fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E and K, production of hormone production, formation of cell membranes. Finally, fat also plays a critical role in inflammation, a key player in determining your ability to stay healthy.
There are 3 types of fat: Monounsaturated, Saturated and Polyunsaturated. The majority of fat in our body is composed of Monounsaturated and Saturated fats.
In contrast, Polyunsaturated fats are only needed in small amounts, however, these are the essential fats that must be obtained through our diet. Omega-3 are anti-inflammatory, while Omega-6 are pro-inflammatory. While we require some of both fats, the western diet is roughly 15 or 30:1 in favor of Omega-6, while the ideal ratio is much closer to 3:1.
Key takeaway: It isn’t enough just to increase Omega-3 intake, you need to decrease your Omega-6 intake as well.
Do include sources Monounsaturated and Saturated fats:
Olive oil, avocadoes and nuts and seeds, olives, grass-fed butter, ghee or coconut oil.
Do include sources of polyunsaturated fats (higher in omega-3):
Walnuts, herring, mackerel, salmon, trout, shellfish chia or algae.
Best to avoid: dangerous sources of Omega-6 such as corn, soybean and canola oil are pro-inflammatory. These are highly processed industrial oils which are pro-inflammatory and when heated become an even more dangerous compound like trans-fat. Best to avoid fried foods, some salad dressings, many processed packaged foods, grain-fed meats and many farm raised seafood.
Bottom line: when it comes to fat, consider the source! Eat more foods high in omega-3 or consider taking a high quality omega-3 supplement and eat less feed-lot cattle, poultry, farmed raised fish and avoid industrial oils such as soy, corn and canola. It is all about the ratio.
