WHAT?! Eating fat burns fat? That sounds contradictory to the fat phobic view that many have adopted. By taking fats out of your diet you're actually taking away a valuable tool for fat burning plus a great tool for vitamin transport and craving fighting. Let's have a look at how..
1) When your meal has good fats (polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats) present, your digestive system will slow down the metabolism of that this means your blood sugar levels will stabilize and control your levels of cravings. We know that when blood sugar levels are low that we crave fried foods high in fat because fat is the most caloric dense macronutrient at 9 calories/gram in comparison to carbohydrates and protein which both come in at 4 calories/gram. Your body also craves foods high in sugar because they will be metabolized quite quickly and in turn raise your blood sugar with little effort.
2) By including the aforementioned good fats, your body will have enough energy to keep your metabolism firing. Your metabolism is the rate at which your body burns energy and once it realises that it's total energy intake has been slashed, it will slow down its own metabolic rate to save itself from totally running out and in turn your rate at which you burn energy (fat is stored energy so you want this to be fast!) will decrease. Point being - eat fat to burn fat!
3) Many nutrients including vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble, meaning that the body can't absorb them without fat. If your body isn't absorbing nutrients properly, that can lead to vitamin deficiencies and bring on dry skin, blindness, brittle bones, muscle pains, and abnormal blood clotting.
These vitamins are also key to maintaining energy, focus, and muscle health, all of which contribute to a healthy weight. Vitamin E, for example is a powerful antioxidant and helps maintain your metabolism. So while you can pile your salad high with nutrient-rich spinach, tomatoes, and carrots, you really need to thank the olive oil for sending the salad's vitamins your way!
4)Finally, omega-3 fatty acids contain a natural anti-inflammatory agent that can help relieve the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, allergies, and other inflammatory diseases. This means that for those of us who are suffering from joint pains during our daily physical activity will have less creaks and groans and make movement that much more enjoyable!
Good fats come in a range of foods including
- Nuts - Almonds, cashews, pistachio's, peanuts
- Seeds - Sesame, linseed and sunflower
- Avocado
- Fish oils - Salmon, tuna, herring
- Oils - Sunflower, safflower, flaxseed and olive
*Disclaimer: Individual results vary based on agreed goals. Click here for details.
