Good Fats or Bad Fats

Fats are still very controversial issues in our daily lives that cause plenty of confusion. Many of my clients seem to be confused about them. Some fats/oils are supposed to be good for your health, whereas others, are supposed to be avoided. So how do we find our way through this jungle of confusing and conflicting information?

Without going into too much detail about all the different types of oil it is really quite simple. Almost all plant fats such as olive oil, grape seed oil, sunflower oil and many other fats are beneficial for us. They are called ‘unsaturated’ fats, meaning long-chain-fatty acids that the body can put to good use. These oils should be consumed cold in there crude meaning natural form and ideally should not be used for frying.

Therefore, I recommend we stay away from margarine. Although made from plant oils, during the production processes, these beneficial oils change in their structure and we end up with a by product of ‘Trans-Fatty-Acids’. These fats are very harmful and foreign to our body. They cause cellular dysfunction and can seriously affect entire tissues and organs leading to disease.

Fats from animals, with the exception of fish, are classified as ‘saturated’ and should be consumed in moderation. This also includes fats from dairy products.

If you would like to educate yourself on FATS, I recommend that you read Udo Erasmus book, “Fats that Heal and Fats that Kill”. He gives a fantastic overview about fats, oils and cholesterol and how they play an important role in human health. It is very informative and easy to read.