Nutrition
FATS
We Need A Healthy Supply Of Fats
Eating healthy fats helps build muscle tissue, regulate metabolism, support reproductive health, lift mood by reducing depression, strengthen bones, and boost the immune system.
The brain is largely made up of fat and depends on it for fuel — without enough healthy fats in our diet, our thinking and mental clarity can suffer.
Eat for Beauty
Fats
Fats have long been unfairly shamed in the media, but the truth is our bodies need a steady supply of healthy fats every day to support natural beauty from the inside out.
1. Saturated Fat
"Saturated fats have been the target of a massive smear campaign since the 1950s, denounced for clogging our arteries, negatively impacting our cholesterol, and causing us to develop heart disease. While there is some truth to this crusade because some saturated fats contribute to these problematic conditions, other saturated fats beautify our skin, lubricate our joints, keep our mood stable, contribute to the health of our bones, and make up 50% of our cell membranes.
Bad sources of saturated fat, like commercially raised red meat and dairy products and commercially prepared baked goods, that raise only our LDL should be avoided at all costs.
2. Monounsaturated Fat
These fats lack two hydrogen atoms in comparison to saturated fats. This means they don't pack together as tightly, are not quite as stable, and tend to be liquid at room temperature. Olive oil is a prime (and very delicious) example of monounsaturated fat. It's best to pour this type of fat on top of your food rather than cooking with it as heat can make it rancid.
The best monounsaturated raw food sources: almonds, avocados, cashews, durian, olives, pecans, and stone-crushed oils.
The saturated fat in a drive-through cheeseburger is destructive, whereas the saturated fat in coconut oil is critical for bodily functions.
3. Polyunsaturated Fat
This type of fat lacks four or more hydrogen atoms, making it highly unstable and prone to high rancidity. If we look to the past, our ancestors ate a high amount of saturated and monounsaturated fat in the forms of lard, tallow, butter, and olive oil. The rate of heart disease was almost nonexistent then. Fast-forward to today and almost 30% of calories in the average American diet come from processed polyunsaturated fat like vegetable oil derived from soy or corn, or from safflower and canola oil — and heart disease is running rampant.
These types of polyunsaturated oils oxidize quickly when exposed to heat, oxygen, and moisture, which most often occurs during processing, but can also happen while sitting on the grocery store shelf or when cooked in food. Every time we eat these free radical-filled oils we increase our risk of liver damage, diestive problems, immune system dysfunction, and reproductive damage. We are subjecting ourselves to DNA/RNA strand damage; impairing our brain function, causing wrinkles and premature aging of the skin, damaging our tissues, organs, and blood vessels; and sparking weight gain.
We do have the choice to enjoy quality polyunsaturated fat source that come from nature, though, and they can be beneficial to our overal health and beauty.
The best polyunsaturated fat raw food sources: borage seed oil, chia seeds, hemp seed oil, hemp seeds, flex, flaxseed oil, primrose oil, and walnuts.
(Note: It is important to keep these oils in dark containers out of direct sunshine and only use oils that have been cold-pressed, not heat extracted).
4. Hydrogenation
Hydrogenated oils are free radical-filled, polyunsaturated fats that should be liquid at room temperature but go through a chemical process to alter their form. Tiny metal shards are added to the oil, along with starch and soap-like emulsifiers. The mixture is steam cleaned, and then dye and flavor are added. We end up with compressed blocks of margarines and shortenings.
The way the hydrogen atom moves during the process described above straightens out the molecule, and we call this resulting creation a trans fat. Trans fats are 100% toxic to us, but unfortunately the body doesn't recognize them as such. The cells take them in as if they were properly constructed saturated fats and incorporate them into the cell membranes. These Frankenstein fats disturb the chemical processes of the cell going forward, leading to high cholesterol, cardiovascular difficulties, and other long-term illnesses.
Trans fats are even worse for you than regular rancid polyunsaturated oil. Please avoid them at all costs! Seek out extra-virgin olive oil and cocount oil instead.
6. Carbohydrates
The proper carbohydrates not only fuel us with energy, but also keep our weight in check, contribute to a healthy heart, keep our digestive system moving, regulate our insulin and cholesterol, power our muscles, uplift our mood, increase our focus, and enhance our overall beauty and health.
The wrong carbohydrates can do the complete opposite by robbing our pancreas, adrenals, and bones lf vital minerals; making our skin look puffy and pale; slowing down our brain function; and causing us to gain weight.
Unrefined Simple Carbohydrates, like raw organic fruits, wild fruits with seeds, and honey contain high amounts of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Fruits have the added bonus of being digested more slowly due to all their natural fiber, which helps stabilize blood sugar levels and control appetite.
Refined carbs, especially sugars like white sugar, brown sugar, and high-fructose corn syrup, spike blood sugar, are highly addictive, and cause energy crashes, mood swings, and depression, rivaling the addictiveness of cocaine. Refined sugar, especially high-fructose corn syrup in kids' foods, is a major health obstacle, driving obesity by shaping taste buds and eating habits, with no end in sight unless we choose better carbs.
David Wolfe, "best advice to combat glycation is to follow the guidelines of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Their key beauty strategy is to eliminate cravings for refined sugars through the consumption of bitter herbs and the use of all five flavors (salty, bitter, sour, pungent, and sweet). This has a profound effect over time, adjusting our taste buds. By eating bitter herbs, fermented foods, and fresh vegetables, we give our taste buds a reset, away from the excessively sweet, which reduces our cravings for it."
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