 |
| Bad Fat Belly |
Fat is a huge issue in our diets today. It is the leading cause of heart disease and other sicknesses that have overtaken our society. There is fat in almost everything we eat, and most things that claim to be "fat free" convert to fat in our bodies. You would think with all the "fat free" things we eat, we would be in better shape. To many of us have the "Bad Fat Belly" and the reason is the foods we eat.
Growing up working in the Restaurant business, I ate many fried foods. A few to many years were spent in Mexican food restaurants where everything is fried. I remember one time while working in one of those places I was not feeling well, so I went to the Doctor to get some blood work done. Come to find out I was a walking heart attack. My cholesterol and bad fats were off the charts. Change or die was the diagnosis.
Another unhealthy fat consuming job was when I worked at Gelato Classico in Scottsdale Az. It was, and still is the most amazing Ice Cream I have ever had. But while working for them I gained about 30 lbs. in two years. Gelato is about 22% butter fat, and I ate it breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Years of working in various Restaurants, and eating bad sure had it's toll on my body. I found myself almost 270 lbs. heavy. And it was all due to a diet high in fat, the bad fats.
What changed in my life? Well I have to say it was education about what to eat and what not to eat.
Especially when it came to fats. There are good fats and bad fats and the amazing thing we seem to forget is that our bodies need the good fats to work and function well. The good fats help our bodies get rid of the bad fats, when we get a good balance of good fats, our bodies actually work better and we are able to keep the weight off.
So what are the bad fats? All hydrogenated fats, like lard, crisco, and margarine. There are others, but these are the main ones in our diets that cause most of the problems. The problem is we over eat most of them. Hydrogenated fats are not compatible to our bodies so our bodies just store it. Hence the "Bad Fat Belly" or hips, or whatever.
Also we need to remember one of the worst bad fats come from sugar. Sugar converts to bad fat in the body. The more sugar we eat the more fat we gain.
What are the good fats? There are a lot of really good fats that help up loose weight and maintain a healthy strong body. Coconut oil, flax oil, cold pressed oils, olive oil, to name the most used ones. It is important to understand that all oils are not equal. Even olive oils are not all good. The best oils are cold pressed. That means no heat is used in expelling them from the source. After the cold pressed, first press of the oils manufactures use high heat and chemicals to extract the remaining oils. This totally changes the chemical structure of the oils, changing what they do in our bodies. Good quality cold pressed oils are the best to use. Our bodies need good oils-fats to work well.
Make sure you purchase good oils from good sources. Unrefined oils are the best, the more refined the worse they are for us. Marketing agencies are great at telling us that bad is good and good is bad, so be careful when buying oils.
Lard and vegetable oils are not good for us in the amounts we use them. If we do use them, moderation is the key. I have been known to use lard, but it is very rare.
Margarine, amazing it was created to end heart disease and now it is the leading cause. I grew up on it, it was cheap and I loved the flavor. But once I tasted real butter, I never went back. And rumor has it that margarine is just a few molecules off plastic. No wonder it is hard on the body and heart.
I use coconut oil a lot in place of butter or margarine. I love it. My family even likes to eat it on toast, pancakes, and waffles. My favorite is to pop my pop corn in coconut oil. It is amazing and heart healthy.
A good way to cut back on the bad fat is to do a blend of flax oil, butter, and plain yogurt. It makes a great butter spread with the flavor of butter, but not all the fat and it is filled with the good stuff.
Cold pressed oils are great for sautéing and cooking. Flax oils are great for salad dressings and toppings where cooking is not required. Ghee is a great way to get the butter flavor. All the butter fat has been removed and what is left is the pure oil of butter. Healthy and it tastes great.
Really watching what we take into our bodies is so important. Fat is a killer if not used right. Good fat on the other hand can help make our bodies strong and healthy. I am not a nutrition fanatic, but I have found for me that when I cut back on the bad fats and make sure I get the good fats in my diet, my body stays healthy. And in the process I have been able to rid my body of excess weight and keep it off. A healthy diet and exercise is the key to a healthy happy body. Chef Brad~ America's Grain Guy
Making your own ghee is easy and fun - and boy is that stuff great to cook with!!! FLAVOR!!!! Just google "how to make ghee", get a pound of quality butter and and plan about 20 minutes of uninterrupted stove time. You'll be amazed how easy it is :-)
ReplyDelete