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Understanding fat better

Written by Staff Reporter

Thursday, 09 September 2010

What continually amazes me in my clinic is how little people know about fat. Our culture for the past 20 to 30 years has been that fat is bad. There was an obsession with fat free and all fats were simply looked at in terms of how many calories they had and not at the many other health benefits that oils contain. So what are the different types of fat and how can they help?

Good quality fats in the form of whole foods, such as the Omega 3’s found in oily fish and flaxseeds and the Omega 6 oils found in avocados, extra virgin olive oil and nuts and seeds are continually being shown by the research to be very beneficial in terms of health. It seems they are an essential part of any healthy eating plan. These oils are linked to healthy skin, hair and nails, help balance hormones and mood and have an anti-inflammatory effect on the body.

The types of fat to reduce from your diet are the saturated fats found in meat and dairy (milk and cheese) and the type of fat to keep to an absolute minimal is highly processed vegetable oil and hydrogenated oil, found in processed foods, crisps and chocolates.

Of course another important consideration is how you consume your fats. As much as possible try not to heat oils to high temperatures as they change their chemical structure and can lose their health benefits.

Homemade guacamole

3 avocados – peeled, stones removed and mashed
1 lime – juiced
1 small handful of fresh coriander (optional)
2 tomatoes – diced
1 clove of garlic
2 teaspoons of yogurt
A pinch of salt and black pepper
A pinch of paprika

Method

In a bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice and salt and pepper. Then mix in the yogurt, stirring through well. Add the coriander, cayenne pepper and garlic. Stir in the tomatoes gently.

My favourite snack is chopped carrots and celery sticks dipped in guacamole or for a healthy breakfast try guacamole on toast with a poached egg on top – delicious!!

Tip – if you are not going to eating the guacamole for a while, leave the stone in the mixture till ready to serve. It helps prevent the guacamole from browning.

If you are interested in finding out more about the role food plays in your health, follow my daily blog on www.foodforliving.ie

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