FAT IS NOT THE ENEMY

Fat is not only good for your health - it is essential for good health. Low fat or fat-free foods flooding the market as a solution to lifestyle health problems cause confusion over the quantity of fat in diets. A more important concern is the kind of fat being consumed.  Low fat diets often lead to regained weight and new health problems.  A craving for fatty foods usually indicates a deficiency of certain fats. FAT ESSENTIALS Saturated fats such as butter, coconut, palm kernel and cocoa can be very beneficial if they are not hydrogenated.  These fats, also found in meats, are generally more solid and can be energizing foods that increase metabolic rate and provide important nutrients, but are problematic if eaten in excess.  Breast milk is high in saturated fat. Unsaturated fats are generally softer or even liquid at room temperature.  Omega-3 fat (Alpha Linolenic Acid) is found in fish, flax, walnuts and dark green vegetables and is essential to human life.  The other essential fat found in most seeds, grains, pulses and nuts is Omega-6 (Linoleic Acid).  Most of us are eating plenty of Omega-6 fats, in salad oils, margarine, grains, pulses and other seeds but do not have enough Omega-3 in our diets. Having more omega-6 than omega-3 may result in inflammation in some cells.  It is critical that the ratio between Omega-6 and Omega-3 should not be more than 4:1 yet the increased use of processed vegetable oils has seen this ratio rise to 25:1. Saturated fats keep our cell walls firm while the omegas make them flexible - we need both. GOOD, BAD AND UGLY Butter was considered to be unhealthy and expensive but the alternatives created from fragile vegetable oils are proving to be toxic.  The hydrogenation process converts vegetable oils from healthy fats to dangerous trans fats that contribute to health conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, Crohn's disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, colon, prostrate and breast cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer's disease. Omega-3 fats are beneficial for these conditions. Plenty of good fat is needed in the diet to: ·  produce all hormones       ·  protect internal organs ·  insulate organs from cold ·  burn fuel when food is scarce ·  cover every single body and brain cell ·  make skin and hair lustrous  ·  avoid carbohydrate cravings ·  keep bowels regular ·  maintain mental stability and concentration ·  make and absorb critical vitamins ·  protect against heart disease and  cancer ·  maintain reproductive health ·  maintain healthy immune system OMEGA-3 ANSWER Omega-3 often referred to as "brain food", is excellent for migraine, hyperactivity, epilepsy, autism, depression, stroke and attention deficit as well before, during and after pregnancy. Flaxseed is a primary vegetable source of Omega-3 fat but the oil is unstable, oxidises easily and must be converted to EPA and DHA to become biologically active. It must be stored in well-sealed dark bottles, must not be refined and should not be used consumed if rancid.  Cold water salmon is the richest and best natural source of Omega-3 fats providing preformed EPA and DHA but few of us eat the required four servings per week.  The Omega-3 oil should be extracted from flesh only and not from internal organs and the salmon should not be farm bred and grain fed. Supplementing with a high quality Omega-3 has become vital to maintain the omega-3 and omega-6 balance and helps maintain, repair, regenerate, renovate and replace all body cells.