The Truth About Fat - Avocado

This weird looking fruit is surprisingly high in fat and calories. Does it fit in a fat-burning diet?

High in Fat and Calories

Avocados are very calorie-dense, which makes certain so-called “experts” say they should be avoided to lose weight. But again, the same could be said of any foods that pack a lot of calories per portion. If we follow that mentality, we would probably end up sticking with water and sand as diet foods because of their low calorie content.

But Still Fat-burning!

The fat in avocados is mostly monounsaturated fat – the same healthy kind found in olive oil.  Several studies show avocados decrease bad cholesterol levels and help ward off infections. They pack 35% more potassium than bananas and are a great source of B vitamins, vitamin E and vitamin K.

Outrageous Imitations

Beware of prepared avocado products like store-bought guacamole. In 2006, Kraft was still selling a guacamole that contained less than 2% avocado... Instead of using the actual fruit to make guacamole, the manufacturer decided to mix modified food starch, soybean oil, and a dose of food coloring to create this creamy spreadable poison.

Summary

--> Even though avocados are high in fat and calories, their high nutrient content makes them a great addition to your fat burning diet.

--> Always measure fat sources carefully, and eat within your daily calorie needs.

--> Beware of fake imitations. A lot of so-called “guacamole” are full of inflammatory oils and other dangerous ingredients.

The Truth About Fat - Animal fat

Recommending full-fat meats – or even worse, cooking with animal fat – could be considered a crime these days. But I like to live dangerously.

Good Meat Equals Good Fat

The equation is simple. If you can find high quality grass-fed and pasture-raised meats, the fat in those will be packed with the fat burner CLA, omega-3, and a ton of vitamins and minerals. The opposite is true: fat from grain-fed factory-raised animals will contain most of the pesticides, antibiotics and inflammatory omega-6 you really want to avoid. That’s simply because fat acts as a defender for the fragile organs in any mammal’s body, isolating the toxins instead of letting them stay in the bloodstream.

Animal Fat Is Perfect For Cooking

Like coconut oil, animal fat is very high in saturated fat. You should know by now that not only is saturated fat nothing as unhealthy as we used to think – it’s also very stable under heat, making it perfect for high temperature cooking and even frying.

The Animal Fat Faceoff

1. Fat from grass-fed animals (beef, lamb), because of the very high CLA and omega-3 content.

2. Pig fat, because it’s very stable under heat and contains a ton of vitamin A and D. Yes, it does include fat from pasture-raised bacon.

3. Chicken fat is less stable than the first two, but still a good choice.

4. Duck and goose fat are riskier choices, because most ducks are raised inside and fed grains. You’ll need to investigate a little more to find pasture-raised ducks that are free to eat an omnivorous diet instead of soy and corn.

Summary

--> Animal fat is perfect for cooking – especially beef tallow.

 

--> The only animal fat you should ever consume is from grassfed or pasture-raised healthy animals.

--> Avoid factory-raised animals’ fat at all costs. It will contain most of the chemicals and antibiotics you want to avoid.

The Truth About Fat - Other oils

With the dozens of different kinds out there, oils get confusing really fast. These few pages will make sure you don’t have to spend any more time wondering if you’re making the right choice.

What happens When Cooking oil?

Some oils can resist heat without any problems, while some fragile oils will turn into a rancid, dark smelly compound even under low heat. Generally, saturated fats like coconut oil and lard are way more stable than other fats under heat. Monounsatured fats are generally pretty stable too, while polyunsaturated fats are very fragile. Pick your cooking oils carefully: if you burn nutritious but fragile oils, you’ll end up destroying the nutrients – while creating toxic substances and free radicals.

My Criteria To Find The best oil

• 1.Stable
• 2.High smoke point
• 3.Nutritious
• 4.Optimal omega-3 to 6 ratio

Best Choices (cooking or cold use)

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Good Choices (low heat cooking or cold use)

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Risky Choices (cold use only)

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Terrible Choices (never eat)

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Summary

--> Pick your oils carefully, and only cook with very stable oils that are preferably high in saturated fats.

--> Refined oils are to be avoided at all times.

--> Keep fragile plant, nut and seed oil in a cool dark place, and consume them rapidly after opening.

The Truth About Fat - Coconut oil

Demonized in the last decades because of its high saturated fat content, coconut oil is now considered by many experts as the ultimate ''fat-burning fat''.

A Forgotten Superfood

Most people cringe when they hear “coconut oil”. The Food Industry made us forget that this superfood accounted for 60% of all the oils and fats in the United States back in 1929. The truth is that coconut oil is the healthiest and most stable cooking oil you can use. It contains lauric acid, an immune system booster that helps you ward off infections.

Your Fat Loss buddy

Despite the scare in the media, coconut oil has been proven to increase metabolism and thyroid activity. Many recent studies have proven its fat loss boosting effects. It also contains Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs), a type of fat that’s used directly as energy instead of being stored as body fat.

“I Don’t Like The Coconut Taste!”

A lot of people want to use coconut oil, but don’t like or want the coconut taste in their recipes. Good news: expeller-pressed coconut oil shows most of the benefits, but has virtually no taste.

Beware of Cheap Copra oil

In coconut-producing countries, the difference between oil made from fresh coconuts and cheap coconuts (what is called “copra oil”) is well known. This comparison will show you exactly why cheap copra oil is NOT a good choice:

 

Confusing Claims 

Coconut oil labeling is as confusing as trying to understand the stock market. Here’s what to look for:

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Other Great Coconut Products

Coconut oil isn’t the end of it all. Dozens of fat-burning coconut products are yours to discover

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Summary

--> Saturated fat is not to be feared, unlike what the so-called “experts” are telling you.

 

--> Coconut oil is one of the healthiest cooking oils you can use, and is proven to help you lose
weight.

--> That being said, it’s calorie dense like any other fat source, so don’t go overboard (2-3 tbsp. a day will go a long way).

 

--> Organic virgin coconut oil is your best bet if you want the coconut taste.

 

--> If you want to avoid the taste in your recipes, grab organic coconut oil that’s expeller-pressed without the use of any chemicals.

--> Other coconut products like coconut milk and shredded coconut show the same benefits.

The Truth About Fat - Olive oil

We love to think that certain foods are “secret” fat loss weapons. Olive oil is one of them, and is considered a miracle food that Europeans use to stay young and lean... Marketing or reality?

European Secret For Leanness?

Olive oil is a staple food of the Mediterranean diet and one of the healthiest oils you can use on salads. It contains vitamin A, E, K, a load of antioxidants, which may help you slow down your aging process and keep a healthy-looking skin. But is it really a metabolism-boosting secret superfood? I doubt it. It does show some health benefits, but tropical oils (like coconut oil) pack a lot more nutrition, are much more stable and have a greater effect on fat loss.

Is Your olive oil Fake?

According to the US Pharmacopeial Convention, 16% of all olive oils on the market are adulterated in some manner.Because of different loopholes in labeling and commercial rights, corporations get away with importing olive oil mixed with corn, soybean or canola oils and still selling it as pure “olive oil”.

The Fridge Test

Is your olive oil legit? Use this simple test to find out:

• 1. Put your olive oil bottle in the fridge.
• 2. Wait overnight.
• 3. If it’s solid by morning then it’s real. If it’s liquid then it’s fake

The science behind this little experiment: real olive oil contains a lot of monounsaturated fats that harden when chilled, while fake olive oil will contain a ton of polyunsaturated fats (from soybean or canola oil) that will stay liquid.

Is It ok To Cook With olive oil?

Quality olive oil seems to be more stable under heat than other cold pressed oils, thanks to the high antioxidant content. That being said, stick with low to medium heat when cooking to make sure the oil doesn’t burn and loses delicate nutrients.

Olive oil Is Fragile: Keep It Safe!

The high polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats content in olive oil make it very prone to oxidation.  Stick with small quantities of olive oil stored in dark or opaque bottles (or keep it in the dark at all times), and make sure to close the lid tightly after each use.

Confusing Claims

Olive oil is no different from other oils: if it has been refined at high temperatures, away goes the nutrition and here come the rancid and unhealthy damaged fats. How can you know you’re buying the right thing? Here are the claims you want to look for:

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Summary

-->  Cold pressed, organic, extra virgin olive oil from a small producer is your best bet. 

 

-->  Olive oil contains fragile unsaturated fats and burns easily. Never heat it too much or you’ll create the same dangerous inflammatory fats contained in refined vegetable oil.

--> Chances are olive oils you can find at your local supermarket are fake. Use the fridge test to be sure yours is legit.

--> Stick with olive oil in a dark or opaque bottle and close the lid tightly after each use to prevent it from going rancid.

The Truth About Fat - Butter vs Margarine

This debate is so classic it deserved a proper faceoff. Brace yourselves; this food fight might get messy.

In the left corner stands the young and cocky margarine, proudly claiming it’s superiority over the “cholesterol-laden” and heart attack-inducing butter.

In the right corner stands the good old butter, a veteran that’s been used for thousands of years and that might have more than one trick up his sleeves…Let the fight begin!

Round 1 \ ingredient list

Margarine (becel® brand): canola and sunflower oils 74%, water, modified palm and palm kernel oils 6%, salt 1.8%, whey protein concentrate 1.4%, soy lecithin 0.2%, vegetable monoglycerides, potassium sorbate, vegetable colour, artificial flavour, citric acid, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D3, alpha-tocopherol acetate (vitamin E).

Butter: cream, salt.

Verdict: BUTTER WINS

When it comes to choosing healthy foods – the fewer the ingredients, generally the better.

Round 2 \ calories per tbsp.

Margarine: contains 6 to 102 calories per tbsp., depending on the type of spread.

Butter: contains around 102 calories per tbsp.

Verdict: DRAW

Butter is often more calorie-dense than margarine – but the calorie content isn’t a good way to determine if a food is healthy or not.

Round 3 \ grams of fat

Margarine: contains 0.4 to 11 g of fat per tbsp., depending on the type of spread.

Butter: contains 12 g of fat per tbsp.

Verdict: DRAW

Like you learned on This article , fat is in fact essential to optimal your fat loss and health.

Round 4 \ grams of saturated fat

Margarine: contains 0 to 2 g per tbsp., depending on the type of spread.

Butter: contains 7 g per tbsp.

Verdict: BUTTER WINS

You should not fear saturated fat – which is in fact good for you (see this article ).

Round 5 \ cholesterol

Margarine: contains no cholesterol.

Butter: contains 30 mg per tbsp.

Verdict: DRAW

Dietary cholesterol has no effect whatsoever on your cholesterol levels and doesn’t increase your risks of heart disease.

Round 6 \ trans fat

Margarine: contains up to 4 g of artificial trans fat per tbsp., if it’s hydrogenated.The non-hydrogenated kind may still contain up to 4.6% trans fat. Also, the ingredients “mono- and di- glycerides” are trans fats that manufacturers do not have to list on the label. I’m not done yet. Even if it says “trans fat-free” or “0 g of trans fat” on the label, your margarine can still contain up to 0.5 g of trans fat per serving.

Butter: contains around 0.6 g of trans fat per tbsp. But it’s the natural trans fat called CLA (proven fat burner and cancer fighter) instead of the manmade trans fat (proven killer).

Verdict: BUTTER WINS

Fat-burning effect instead of heart attacks? I like the idea!

Round 7 \ vitamins

Margarine: added synthetic vitamins, which may increase your risks of cancer. These include ergocalciferol (D2), dltocopherol (E), vitamin A palmitate or vitamin A acetate.

Butter: packed with fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, as well as selenium and iodine – essential minerals for your thyroid health.

Verdict: BUTTER WINS

Margarine is basically devoid of any nutrition, and only contains vitamins that are added back in the product because of Government regulations. Butter, on the other hand, is packed with highly absorbable vitamins.

Choosing The right butter

Butter might be better than margarine in general, but some butters show superior benefits. Understanding these claims will help you choose the best butter for your budget:

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Cooking With Butter

Keep the temperature low when cooking with butter. If you burn it, you’ll destroy all the nutrients you’re trying to preserve.To cook with butter at high temperatures, use Ghee (or clarified butter) – which is basically concentrated butterfat that doesn’t burn so easily.

Summary

--> There is no way on Earth margarine is healthier and more effective to burn fat than butter, no matter what the Government, the Food Industry or even your doc might say.

--> Because butter is very caloriedense (like any fat), use it in moderation and stay within your daily calorie needs.

--> The most fat burning butter (packed with CLA) is organic raw butter from grass-fed cows, but any kind of butter is better than any kind of margarine.

The Truth About Fat - Vegetable oil

It’s cheap, flavorless, and perfect for cooking – and according to the Industry, it’s high in healthy polyunsaturated fats. Once again, science proves otherwise…

It All Starts With a Plant

 
Vegetable oil is usually made of canola (rapeseed), soybean, corn, cottonseed, safflower or sunflower. These plants are naturally high in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat, which is not necessarily a bad thing. But the huge problem is: these kinds of fats are very fragile. Simple exposure to some heat, oxygen and even daylight can damage them – creating a bunch of inflammatory compounds while destroying the healthy nutrients.

Vegetable oil or Gasoline?

Let’s take a tour of how your “healthy” vegetable oil is actually made, and you’ll see why you would be better off using it to fuel your car… Ever burnt oil over very high heat and ended up with a smelly grey compound you can’t wait to throw away? That’s exactly what happens with vegetable oil during processing… except manufacturers disguise their product by filtering, bleaching and deodorizing it before having the guts to ask you to pay for it.

What It really Contains

The heavy 5-step processing vegetable oil goes through may make it look, smell and taste good, but it destroys any bit of nutrition left – while leaving you with nasty and inflammatory compounds:

1- Free radicals

Basically the opposite of antioxidants. Can make you age faster.

2- Gmo grains

Almost 100% of all soy and corn in the US is GMO, which have been linked to gut flora destruction.

3- Hidden trans fat

This will make you angry. According to a study by the University of Florida at Gainseville, even your NON-HYDROGENATED vegetable oil can still contain up to 4.6% trans fat that’s not on the label,  nutrition facts or ingredients list.

4- Hexane

Even though many regulatory agencies claim hexane levels in food are safe, test results obtained by The Cornucopia Institute indicate that your oil may contain hexane levels 10X higher than what is considered normal by the FDA.

Summary

--> Unlike what the Food Industry and even some so-called “experts” may have told you, vegetable oil is heavily processed and contains little to no nutrition.

--> Refined vegetable oil – even the non-hydrogenated kind – may contain a lot of trans fat, the most dangerous and inflammatory fat there is.

--> Vegetable oil will slow down your fat loss and recovery, especially if you’re like most Americans who consume 10% of their daily calories in the form of soybean oil.

3 Biggest Myths About fat

1.Fat Is Fattening

Fat may be calorie-dense, but it’s not more fattening than carbs or protein. That being said, trans fat or refined polyunsaturated fat will increase inflammation in your body, and make it harder for you to shed the pounds.

2.You Don’t Need Fat

Your brain, nervous system and even your cell’s membranes all require fat to function properly. Also, fat is essential to prevent deficiency in fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.On top of that – certain fats (essential fatty acids, or EFAs) can’t be naturally produced by your body and MUST come from your diet.

3.Fat Is Dangerous

Not if you choose the right kind. Including fat in your diet will improve your health, curb your appetite, and help you burn more fat and build more lean muscle.

The Truth About Fat

You’ve been told a big, FAT lie. Mislead. Misinformed. I still can’t believe some “authorities” still claim fat is unhealthy, and advise reducing your consumption as much as possible. Thanks to these so-called experts, chances are you’re part of the 51% of Americans who limit their consumption of fat, lumping ALL fats into one evil category. That’s a big mistake. When we push outdated science and biased industry claims aside, it becomes clear that fat consumption is essentialto maximize fat burning hormones, build lean muscle and optimize your health. If you’ve been falling for the low-fat craze so far, the next part will shock you. But I’m sure you’ll love discovering that fatty foods can in fact HELP you burn more fat. Let’s start by shedding light on the different types of fat…

Trans Fat

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, I’m sure you already know this kind of fat is the worst. Companies “hydrogenate” fats to improve mouth feel and increase shelf life. The only problem is – the trans fat they contain is :

• Linked to increase of chronic inflammation and an array of dangerous conditions including heart stroke.
• One of the very rare ingredients that has a recommended intake of exactly 0 gby the Food and Nutrition Board.
• Proven to double your risk of heart disease even if you consume just 4-5 g of trans fat per day.
• Associated with obesity, Alzheimer’s, and infertility in women. 

 In short – just a little bit of trans fat will screw you up.

Interesting fact – while consumers are starting to reject trans fat and demand bans in an increasing manner these days… many scientists started to express serious concern over their safety in the 1950s.
 

Another interesting fact– trans fat that occurs naturally in beef, butter and dairy is nothing like the man-made version; it’s in fact a proven fat burner called CLA

Saturated Fat (most animal products)

You’ve been warned. This is where most people will shake their head in utter confusion. The truth is: saturated fat is NOT unhealthy and fattening. Here are some facts that help you understand how almost everyone got it wrong so far:

• Between 1910 and 1970, the proportion of animal fat (saturated fats) in the American diet decreased by 21% and butter consumption decreased by 500% while heart disease, diabetes, obesity and other foodborne illnesses increased dramatically.
• A meta-analysis published in 2011 that pooled data from 21 studies and included nearly 348,000 adults, found no difference in the risks of heart disease and stroke between people with the lowest and highest intakes of saturated fat.
• The Tokealau, Masai and Inuit tribes all consume a diet of 50% or more saturated fat and report a superior cardiovascular health.
• Breast milk contains 50% saturated fat. Do you really think this perfect food clogs newborns’ arteries?
• Saturated fats are very stable under heat and don’t oxidize easily, making them ideal for cooking.

Saturated fat is not unhealthy. Cheap factory-raised meats and animal products are.

Polyunsaturated fat (vegetable oil, nuts & seeds)

This fat is very fragile and prone to oxidation. In plain English – air, light and oxygen can oxidize this fat and turn it into dangerous trans fat-like compounds.

Monounsaturated fat (nuts, olives, avocados)

Monounsaturated fats are used more easily than polyunsaturated fats by your body. They are shown to reduce belly fat better than a high carb diet. Like their polyunsaturated cousins, these fats are susceptible to oxidation.

Essential fatty acids (fish, flaxseeds, nuts and seeds, vegetable oil)

Essential fatty acids are fats that your body needs to function properly and that need to be included in your diet because your body can’t synthesize them. The most common ones are omega-3 and omega-6. While the optimal omega 6 to 3 ratio is 2.3:1 to 1:1, it goes as high as 25:1 in favor of omega-6 in the US. This unnatural ratio usually leads to more inflammation and reduced recovery.