Hug a Fat

If you're not aware already, there's this little movement going around in the blogosphere called 'Hug a Fat Month'. Katie over at Chocolate Covered Katie started it to spread the word about healthy fats and how good they are for you.

Lots of people are afraid of incorporating fats into their diet, for fear of weight gain, high cholesterol and blood pressure and increased risk of heart disease. Many North Americans are drawn to low fat products such as skim milk, low fat cheese, zero fat yogurts, low fat pretzels and cookies and this and that. The fear of fats should be put to an end...well, I mean people should still fear unhealthy fats.

The truth of the matter of this low fat culture, is that some people aren't getting enough healthy fats, and healthy fats are a very essential factor in normal growth and development and maintaining good health. The body uses fats for many vital functions, I found a good write up on all of the different functions that fat uses here:

• Brain – Fats compose 60% of the brain and are essential to brain function, including learning abilities, memory retention and moods. Fats are especially important for pregnant women, since they are integral to fetal brain development.
• Cells – Fatty acids help your cells stay moveable and flexible, as well as being responsible for building cell membranes.
• Heart – 60% of our heart’s energy comes from burning fats. Specific fats are also used to help keep the heart beating in a regular rhythm.
• Nerves – Fats compose the material that insulates and protects the nerves, isolating electrical impulses and speeding their transmission.
• Lungs – Lung surfactant, which requires a high concentration of saturated fats, enables the lungs to work and keeps them from collapsing.
• Eyes – Fats are essential to eye function.
• Digestion – Fats in a meal slow down the digestion process so the body has more time to absorb nutrients. Fats help provide a constant level of energy and also keep the body satiated for longer periods of time. Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) can only be absorbed if fat is present.
• Organs – Fats cushion and protect your internal organs.
• Immune System –Some fats ease inflammation, helping your metabolism and immune system stay healthy and functioning.

It's really interesting if you think about it: since the low fat revolution in North America, obesity rates have doubled...when you look at the Mediterranean diet of some European countries, their diets are full of healthy fats, olives, olive oil, nuts and fish...and they're perfectly healthy in healthy weight ranges.

The key is eating healthy fats.

Choose these fats more often instead of saturated and trans fats (which are the unhealthy fats):

Monounsaturated fatsfound in canola and olive oil, soft margarines with no trans fat, mayonnaise, nuts, avocados, and olives.

Polyunsaturated fats are found in a variety of nuts, seeds, oils, mayonnaise and soft margarines with no trans fat.

There are two important types of polyunsaturated fats that are essential as part of a healthy diet:

• Omega-3 fats are found in fatty fish such as salmon, omega-3 eggs, canola oil, walnuts and margarine or mayonnaise made with canola oil.
• Omega-6 fats are found in some nuts and seeds, safflower, sunflower and corn oils, and soft margarines with no trans fat.

My favourite healthy fats:

- avocado

- coconut oil/butter

- almonds

- sunflower seeds

- pumpkin seeds

- chia seeds

- olives

- olive oil

- salmon

What are your favourite healthy fats?

Well, that's my little rant about healthy fats. Of course you have to eat them in moderation, but that's just like everything else.

So go ahead and hug a fat....or 'phat' like Angela likes to call them.

Updates:

- Check out Katie's Artisana giveaway, you have a week to enter!!

- Ginger is the New Pink is holding a giveaway too, it's for ecomom.com (really cool!)