FAT part 2

The following is about nutritional fat that will help your health. But PLEASE REMEMBER: if you are not moving all day, fat will accumulate in unwanted places. So try to move for 30 minutes daily to battle the bulge. Now that we realize movement is important, I won't go into detail again about trying to figure out numbers and percentages of diet that should or should not be eaten. Because honestly, how many of you will pay close attention to numbers? Just remember the one thing that does matter for sure:

• Create a balance of ENERGY IN to ENERGY OUT
  
  

If too much goes into our bodies... We may become toxic and overweight.

And especially if what goes in is bad fat.
Americans tend to eat too much Omega-6 and not enough Omega-3 fatty acids. Processed foods have a higher amount of Omega-6. To keep from eating too much Omega-6, we must AVOID industrial fats, processed or junk foods. Trans fats are the result of industrial or processed foods. Trans fats are also known as partially hydrogenated oil. They alter blood cholesterol negatively. Trans fats are similar to saturated fat (both decrease HDL and increase LDL). Man created trans-fats to create a longer shelf-life for processed foods (like margarine) and baked goods. But this is not healthy for our bodies.

So you should ENJOY good fat.
Good fats are made from REAL FOOD (check out Nina Planck's book of this title for more detailed information). Fats that are found naturally in the diet (especially seafood) are higher in Omega-3. Omega-3 helps to prevent depression. Eating more fish (even one or two 3oz servings/week) will improve your heart health because it has this good fat. Nina Planck goes further, stating the imbalance of Omega-3s to Omega-6s can cause inflammation, obesity, diabetes, and cancer.

It is especially important to eat good fat when consuming the vitamins A, D, E, and K because they are necessary fat-soluble vitamins that are better digested when eaten with fat. This is why it is ok to use a little butter or olive oil (or a combination of both) on your carrots or broccoli : ) Not only does it taste good and fill you up, it will help your body absorb the vitamins and nutrients you need. So here's the bottom line: When it comes to eating McNuggets or getting a Broiler in a Bag... Go for the broiler in a bag (just make sure it is a real food!) and enjoy foods that have not been messed with by man! Adapted from: Real Food by Nina Planck and Understanding Nutrition, 9th ed. by Witney & Rolfes