I recall very distinctly the fat phobia kitchen cupboard of my youth—fat-free salad dressing, Snackwells fat-free cookies, fat-free hot chocolate. The list goes on…
Thankfully the nutrition experts have decreed that this fat phobia is not only not needed, its actually unhealthy. The ingredients found in most fat-free goods include a plethora of sugars to make up for the lack of flavor as well as chemicals to try and imitate that creamy texture we so crave. And by taking out the fat we’re missing out on essential nutrients as well as the satiety that fat provides—which helps in maintaining and even losing weight.
So to honor the end of the fat-phobic years, we’ve gathered our favorite previously sinful fats to entice you to pick up the fork and dive in.
- Coconut was on the shunned list for nearly two decades because of its saturated fat content. But research shows that the fat from coconut is actually medium chain, which means it is used for energy (and burned). Try our new recipe for coconut lemon blueberry pancakes here.
- Grass-fed beef. Rich in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a fatty acid that studies show can help burn belly fat, grass-fed beef is not only healthier for your body its also better for the environment.
- Avocado. This is the year of avocado toast and avocado smoothies. People who consume avocado tend have a better overall diet. Plus avocado helps provide satiety, making that nacho cheese dip less appealing.
- Nut butters. We’ve been consuming these for awhile, but just know that this fatty spread provides you with long-lasting energy in the way of fiber and fat, as well as much-needed minerals. Try adding nut butters to baked goods to increase their nutrition punch.
- Dark chocolate. Dark chocolate is healthy for your heart and helps satisfy your sweet tooth to boot. Look for 85 percent or higher cacao, or buy cacao powder to add to your smoothies. We love Moon Juice’s almond butter and cacao powder. They also have cacao nibs!
- Eggs! Banned from many a plate, eggs are back. Once feared for their cholesterol intake, studies now show that this may have little to no effect on overall health. Eggs are rich in protein, healthy fat, and have been shown to help with mood balance, brain health and more.
- Olives. We’ve been loving on the olive oil, but olives have still been left as a “high fat, sinful” snack. No longer.. Green olives are rich in vitamin A and E and copper. Olives are also rich in polyphenols, an antioxidant that helps decrease the risk of heart disease.
With her love of health and writing, Melissa has written for such publications as Shape, Natural Solutions, Yoga Journal, Self and Pilates Style, and has created recipes and food-oriented stories for such publications as Delicious Living and Cooking Light.
- Saving Our Coral Reef One Tube of Sunscreen at a Time. - June 28, 2018
- Healing Tonics: 5 Ingredients You Need to Cure All That Ails You. - May 3, 2018
- Is it Addiction? 4 Surprising Culprits Behind Your Gnawing Sugar Cravings. - April 20, 2018