Do you Drink Low-Fat Milk Thinking it’s Healthy?

Dietary fats, the ones you consume, can be very confusing. How many of you drink low fat milk or eat low fat yogurt having heard somewhere that it is best for you? Well, I’m going to turn that on its head and it may be a bit hard to believe what I’m going to share. Healthy fats at will not make you fat and they will not clog your arteries.

[tweetthis]Healthy fats at will not make you fat and they will not clog your arteries.[/tweetthis]

Dietary fats are essential for the healthy growth and development of children. They’re especially important for brain health and development, as well as the nervous system.

Eating fat helps keep you and your children satiated and fuller longer. Ever wonder why processed foods that are low-fat are full of sugar? That’s because when you take out fat, you have to replace it with something that tastes good. Your body loves eating fat. Fat also helps your body regulate blood sugar levels. That’s important because not only will that help you sustain energy levels, but it will also help you to NOT store unnecessary amounts of fat around your middle.

You may be thinking to yourself, “Hold on here now. I have high cholesterol and if I start eating fat, I’ll get heart disease.” Ok, that’s just old school thinking. Healthy fats do not build up plaque in your arteries but eating too much sugar and refined carbohydrates can contribute to arterial plaque. Healthy fats may actually protect you from heart disease.

Let’s talk FAT

What is a healthy fat vs not-so healthy? Well, you’ve probably heard of saturated fats and unsaturated fats. Here’s an easy way to remember them. Saturated fats are often solid at room temperature. Like butter. I love butter. Unsaturated fats come in two kinds: natural and man-made. They also tend to be liquid at room temperature. Natural are things like olive oil, avocados, or nuts. Man-made are things like margarine or oils used in fry machines that are reused and reheated. These man-made saturated oils, as you may have guessed, are the less good kind to consume. To make a man-made oil or when fry oil is used repeatedly, the fatty acids are chemically altered and become what is called a trans-fat.

Cholesterol

When you eat trans-fats, they increase the amount of LDL cholesterol in the body. This is often called the “bad” cholesterol, but I don’t call it that because it’s neither bad nor good, you just don’t need it in large amounts. It’s like calling the school bus that takes your kid to school the good one and the one that brings him home, the bad one. HDL and LDL just have different jobs in transporting fats to and from the liver. If you’ve got high levels of LDL, then you’ll want to have a test to see the percentage of oxidation of the lipids. That will give you the better information that is needed to asses your lipid health. Also, if you have hypothyroid, your LDL might be a little high. So, working with a functional medicine professional is the most comprehensive way to assess your cardiovascular health.

Back to Fats

So, as you can see, it’s essential to eat the healthy fats. Butter, whole milk yogurt, olive oil, avocados and nuts should all be a part of your healthy diet. Remember, when eating processed foods such as breads, sweet drinks, or baked goods, you’re eating too many refined carbs and this is what may be leading to arterial plaque.

 

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