Eat Fat to Lose Fat?

By Marcie Barnes

There are several reasons why I think this statement is true. And for the record, we're talking about healthy fats here - I love this definition of good vs. bad:

"Fats are good if they come from whole, natural, unprocessed foods. Fats are only bad if they become damaged. Fats are damaged by heat, light and oxygen. High heat and chemicals used by manufacturers to process oils are the chief sources of damaged fats. One particularly damaging process is partial hydrogenation, which gives oils longer shelf life. This process creates trans fats and other altered molecules that are harmful to the human body." (From http://www.helpguide.org/life/healthy_diet_fats.htm)

The "friendly" fats in nuts (specifically almonds) are great for curbing appetite. Drinking almond milk in the morning is a great way to start the day! Good fats have many other benefits - including lowering cholesterol and triglycerides, and combatting depression and perhaps even suicide. Many people avoid them for their high-calorie content, but I'm not convinced that "a calorie is a calorie" - I think our bodies use these fats to sustain essential components of our makeup (brain cells, for one) - so give your brain and body a good daily dose!

Need more help choosing 'good' fats? Read this article from iVillage UK.