By Kristin Stephens, MS, NTP
Have you been told to avoid eating fat?
A few years ago, as I began this health journey, Donna actually told me I was fat-deficient. I was shocked! I thought being healthy meant eating little to no fat because it wasn’t good for you. She helped me to begin understanding the reasons why fat is actually incredibly important to include in our diet.
Why healthy fats are important:
1. Your cells are made of fat. In order for your body to function properly, you need to consume fat to keep your cells going.
2. Fertility depends on fat. Having enough fat in your diet and on your body will allow your sex hormones to function optimally leading to a healthy pregnancy. Plus, a fetus’ development in the womb is dependent on fat in the mother’s diet. It’s really tough to get pregnant, and to stay pregnant, if you’re not consuming enough fat (that goes for the men too!)
3. Fat makes you eat less. Although I’m not a big believer in counting calories, fat has 9 calories per gram versus just 4 in both carbs and proteins. This means you get more bang for your buck when you eat fat! You will feel fuller and more satiated when you include healthy fats in your diet.
What are my favorite healthy fats?
- Grass-fed beef tallow
- Lard from pasture-raised pigs
- Grass-fed butter (specifically Kerrygold brand)
- Homemade ghee
- Coconut oil
- Olive oil
- and Avocado oil.
Easy ways to include health fats in your diet:
- Roast veggies with a good amount of fat
- Top veggies with ghee
- Eat avocados – in smoothies, on salads, alone
- Use olive oil on salads
We’d like to hear from you! Do you have a favorite healthy fat? If yes, what is it? If no, which one will you try this week? Answer in the comments below.
For a more in-depth conversation about healthy fats, nutrition, and how to improve your wellbeing, please contact Pure Nutrition + Wellness LLC at [email protected], or call 844-787-3935, Ext. 5.
Be Well,
Donna Stephens, BCN, CNHP, LDHS
Kristin Stephens, MS, NTP
