The Skinny on Fat

People avoid fat like the plague these days. Low fat products from yogurts to ice creams are spreading like wildfire on our supermarket shelves. I understand this- having suffered from anorexia for much of my adolescence, fat had become one of my most feared macronutrients. But get this- fat is also what has helped me to begin my recovery. 

You see, eating fat with a meal increases feelings of satiety and in turn helps prevent overeating. It's as simple as spreading some avocado or hummus into your sandwich at lunchtime, or spooning a dollop of nut butter onto your morning porridge. Fat is even more effective in preventing overeating when combined with a source of protein at a meal.

Ironically, consuming fat does not make you fat. In fact, considering how effective fat is in preventing overeating, quite the opposite might be true! I can personally attest to this, considering that since including much more fat in my diet, I have not gained any weight whatsoever, and have certainly been less inclined towards overeating. In order to burn fat, you must eat fat.

However, before you go ahead and eat every French fry you can get your hands on, it is important that first we clarify different categories of fats. Saturated fats are found in foods such as coconut and its oil, butter, animal fats, cheese, and cream. While often quoted as being a type of fat to avoid, I would beg to differ- as long as you are getting saturated fat from whole food sources, such as coconut, and are not consuming them in excess, it shouldn't really pose a problem.

Monounsaturated fats are found in foods including olive oil, avocados and nuts. Monounsaturated fats are a valuable inclusion in your diet and have been linked to health benefits such as a lowered risk of heart attack.

Polyunsaturated fats contain two subtypes- omega 3 fatty acids and omega 6 fatty acids. Fish, some oils, and seeds all contain polyunsaturated fats.