We know that we know we need good fats and what they are, let’s talk about ways to get those good fats into our diets. Unrefined Coconut Oil
- Benefits:
- High in saturated fat
- High in medium chain triglycerides (MCTs)
- Does not require bile for digestion so it is easily absorbed in small intestine
- Absorbed directly into blood stream and not stored as body fat
- Great for instant energy boosts and alternative to carbohydrates for glucose
- Rich in lauric acid
- An anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-viral fatty acid
- How to cook with it:
- Make roasted vegetables
- Popcorn - popcorn has a decent glycemic index, but when made with coconut oil is actually better at stabilizing blood glucose levels following a meal
- Morning smoothie or coffee
- Anything from the Coconut Mama
- Not actually coconut oil related, but strawberry coconut milk ice cream is another delicious treat
Ghee/Clarified Butter
- Benefits
- Low in lactose (many lactose intolerant people are able to consume without side effects)
- High in saturated fat
- Rich in Vitamins A, D and E
- Does not need to be refrigerated
- Rich in medium and short-chain fatty acids
- Contains butyrate
- How to cook with it:
- High smoke point - can heat without concern of denaturing the proteins so this is great for cooking and baking at higher temperatures
- Roasting vegetables
- Brown meat
- Sautee garlic and onions
- Eggs
- Salmon patties
Grass-fed Butter
- Benefits
- High in conjugated linoleic acid
- Rich in fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins
- How to cook with it:
- Top fish or meat in the oven
- Cook in stews at lower temperature
- Great for baking at low temperatures
- Morning coffee - let’s be realistic, we are all going to drink it so we might as well make it a bit healthier
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Benefits:
- High in monounsaturated fats
- Rich in vitamin E (one tablespoon contains 10% of daily value)
- Rich in healthy fatty acids
- High in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory components
- How to cook with it:
- Do not cook with it
- Brushetta and caprese salad toppings
- Drizzled over soups and stews or even raw vegetables
- Best used for dressings- the good fat in EVOO actually helps you absorb fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K, CoQ10) better
- One of the reasons people eat salads is because they are rich in Vitamin K but eating a salad with “low fat salad dressing” can actually decrease the absorption of Vitamin K
References:
1. https://chriskresser.com/5-fats-you-should-be-cooking-with-but-may-not-be/
2.http://balancedbites.com/PDFs/BOOK_EXTRAS/PracticalPaleo_GuidetoCookingFats.pdf
3. https://paleoleap.com/paleo-fats/
4. https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ps/fats-oils.html
5. https://draxe.com/coconut-oil-benefits/ & https://draxe.com/olive-oil-benefits/