No I'm not blogging about how its good to be fat, though I am much happier with some weight on. By now if you're not living under a rock, you would know that some fat is good fat and some fat is not.
What's NOT GOOD FAT
butter
margarine
shortening
beef or pork fat
Horrendous FAT: fried foods (French fries, doughnuts, deep-fried fast foods), margarine (stick and tub), vegetable shortening, baked goods (cookies, cakes, pastries), processed snack foods (crackers, microwave popcorn).
(basically all the good things in life)
Ok ok Fat
fatty cuts of beef, pork, dark chicken meat and chicken skin (basically everything delicious in life)
Dairy (whole milk, butter, cheese, sour cream, ice cream)
tropical oils (coconut oil, palm oil, cocoa butter)
lard
What's GOOD FAT! Read on and I'll tell you:
According to this article, there are two main fats which help your health, one is Monounsaturated fat and the other is Polyunsaturated fat.
This includes: nuts (almonds, cashews, peanuts, pecans), vegetable oils (olive oil, peanut oil) peanut butter and almond butter avocado as well as salmon, herring, sardines, trout and fat from tofu, roasted soy beans and soy nut butter, walnuts, seeds (sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds), vegetable oils (corn oil, sesame oil, sunflower oil).
This list is sourced from: *https://www.healthline.com/health/heart-disease/good-fats-vs-bad-fats#good-fats
These links are affiliate links, I may earn a percentage (at no cost to you) this goes to support my writing work, video and content creation online
Essentially good fat, boosts your metabolism and helps eradicate cholesterol (which in turn helps eradicate diseases like diabetes, heart attack, stroke and cancer (yes I said cancer)).
Now you would notice that good fat looks exactly like the Vegan lifestyle, and you are correct. And before you think this is Vegan's trying to take over the world and stop you from your non veg. There's a balance you can maintain with this.
Reducing your Fat — Questions to Ask Yourself
1. Do you really NEED butter with oily eggs in the morning?
2. Would it be better to find an oil based cake recipe (there are plenty)
3. Do I NEED to eat the fatty meats that I love (do I NEED To have bacon, slurp slurp)
Now for many the answer is YES and that is perfectly normal if you're cholesterol is fine, no heart disease in the horizon, no history of cancer or strokes in the family,
Unfortunately my answer has always been YES… however as I battle with my predispositions— I have adopted a balance which is helping me ease into "wannabe Vegan" status. I still have my meats, but now at serious amounts of moderation to the point that on days when I have Rajma (Kidney beans) I actually don't have a craving for meat.
That's where Shonali comes in. Shonali Sabherwal (The Beauty Diet, The Love Diet, The Detox Diet) wrote a book which literally blew my mind. It was about replacing foods which filled the void that sugar and meat bring if we don't have them. So for example eating pumpkin and other sweet vegetables curb your craving for sugary substances.
Now disclaimer, I've never been heavier and more unhealthy in my life— but I would like to believe that I would be in a worst spot if I had not brought significant changes into our diet years ago. Like given my lifestyle and the tests I did more than 4 years ago, by now I should have diabetes… so obviously something good has come out of this, even if it isn't a bikini ready bod (yet).
So here's my list of good fats that I use for different food. to get into your groceries, most of this stuff I've tried and can recommend— many things will take a little getting used to. I cook with these different FATS in my home, most are healthy some are not but I believe there needs to be a balance.
Almost all these products have been used by me on a regular basis. Feel free to ask me for details I'll be happy to share.
FATS I USE TO COOK MY DAILY FOODS
Sunflower Oil: This is a generic oil I use for flavourless cooking. It's also what I used for frying unhealthy snacks like fries and pakodas. I mix this with butter sometimes for soups if I don't have a particular flavour in mind.
Benefits: This is a good all-purpose oil, a good grade of this oil contains more than 80% of monounsaturated fats which makes it good for your heart, skin, hair and digestion. It's an energy booster and helps strengthen your immune system.
Olive Oil: This oil is mostly for cooking. I use this for continental (which would be European or American dishes) food.
Benefits: Rich in healthy monounsaturated fats, antioxidants, has anti-Inflammatory properties, help prevent strokes, heart diseases and helps maintain weight gain.
+Extra Virgin Oil: has the same properties but can be had raw and it is used primarily for salad.
Mustard Oil: I use this for most of my vegetable dish, mostly north Indian cooking.
Benefits: this oil is full of monounsaturated fatty acids, promotes heart health, prevents infection, helps blood circulation. Externally too, it treats cracked heels, brittle Nails, protects skin and promotes hair growth. And even helps with the treatment of cold and cough.
Smaller 1 Litre Oil: https://amzn.to/38oVW3B
Peanut Oil: This i rarely use this oil, but when i do it's for Thai recipes.
Benefits: reduces heart disease risk, helps improve insulin sensitivity, lowers blood sugar in diabetes . Apart from being an antioxidant its a good source of vitamin E.
Coconut Oil: I use this for all my Kerala vegetable dishes as well as south Indian meat dishes (chicken mostly).
Benefits: helps with adding good cholesterol into your body, its's good for maintaining blood sugar and helping stabilise diabetes. Coconut oil helps with fighting alzheimers, heart disease, high blood pressure, helps the liver and boosts energy.
Avocado Oil: I recently bought this oil. It's very expensive but I've read a lot of good things about this oil. I have one of the best mayo recipes from Pinterest which I've been using for years, but since this oil wasn't available I would use sunflower oil. But I'll be making that recipe soon, will share it with you all.
Avocado oil (especially cold pressed oils) are great in India because its so rare to get the fruit which is ripe or perfect — so if the same nutrients are coming from the oil then why not!
Benefits: It's rich in monounsaturated fats and oleic acid (which is a very healthy fat). and antioxidants. This oil helps with heart, cholesterol, helps eyes, absorption of nutrients, reduces the symptoms of arthritis, prevents gum diseases and helps with wound healing. This oil can be had raw and has a very high smoking point (250°C/375°F)
Sesame Seed (Til) Oil: This oil is used mostly for Tamilian cooking. There's this amazing bringal curry which tastes like meat curry and its uses this oil heavily. Some of the Sri Lankan dishes I've tried also use this oil. I find even Chinese cooking and flavours of the dish improve with this oil. It's the oil that finishes the quickest in my home.
Benefits: this oil is very high in antioxidants, it has strong anti-inflammatory properties it's good for your heart, helps control blood sugar, treats arthritis, heal wounds and burns and protects against UV rays.
Ghee: Ayurveda really believes Ghee is good fat, I agree. But I also use Ghee in moderation. I prefer it to butter in my Indian meals. Ghee Roti and Pepper was a breakfast my doctor would tell me to have— lets see if I get back on that.
Benefits: Because ghee is natural, it has properties which reduces your exposure to cancer-causing agents, helps moisturize dry skin and hair and has anti-inflammatory properties.
Butter: On on Low Days when the world looks dreary I do have some butter on my toast or in my cooking, but its definitely reduced. If I'm not professionally baking, we use 100-200gms as a family per month. I suggest buying this little pack and using it in moderation.
Benefits: No benefit, but it tastes yum
Margarine: I use this In the place of butter sometimes in cooking, I have tried many margarines in my life, the closest one to butter is Delicious. This bakes, cooks and fries the same as butter but its not, which is fun.
Benefits: No benefits but it's a little healthier than butter.
So that's the list of good and bad fats. In my research at least Avocado oil seems the most nutritious and promising but it is also the most expensive. To counter that I use a balance of all these 'good fats' so my family and I get the best out of what they eat in a day. Hope this helps in your home and your diets.
Inspiration/Bibliography
*Google.com