by Katie Kimball

Kitchen Stewardship

Since I’ve been making an effort to eat more fat and the right kind of fat, flying in the face of popular opinion, I haven’t gained a pound. My cholesterol is great, and my husband’s lipid levels also have not changed (except for his HDL – the good stuff – going up).

I’ve even had an unexpected outcome that my husband loves (see number 7).

Here’s why I really do encourage you to eat more fat:

Fat won’t make you fat. It is excess carbs from sugars, starches, and grains that are stored as triglycerides and are responsible for weight gain. Plus, fat slows down nutrient absorption so you can go longer without feeling hungry. You need fat to utilize Vitamins A, D, E and K. That salad with fat free dressing and tons of raw veggies? It’s not doing as much good for your health as you think, because your body can’t use the vitamins in the veggies anyway, and you’ll feel hungry again quickly. Try making healthy homemade dressings with extra virgin olive oil, a fat everyone agrees is good for you. Fat is important for healthy natural fertility and energy levels. Omega 3s and saturated fats regulate hormones, and women who drink full-fat dairy had a 27% lower risk of infertility. The fat-soluble vitamins are essential for a healthy reproductive system. The right fats boost your immunities. Butter and coconut oil promote a healthy immune system. Saturated fats strengthen bones and improve liver, lung, and brain health. Saturated fats are in every cell of your body. It makes food taste better. Ever had fat free cheese? Ever eaten a greeting card? They’re kind of similar. There’s a reason people love Paula Deen’s recipes even though they’re “not supposed to eat butter.” Butter is yummy! Coconut oil may reduce that nasty cellulite. After using coconut oil regularly in our cooking, I kid you not, the cellulite I’d lived with since those napkin-sopping teenage years was slowly melting away. More fat and real food were the only changes I made, other than having babies. No additional exercise.

The catch? Of course, there’s a catch.

You must eat the right kinds of fat.

You’ll notice most foods sold in boxes or bottles at the grocery store include corn, soybean, or canola oils. These guys will increase inflammation in your body and damage heart health. They’re omega-6s, which have the opposite effect of the good omega 3s.

And of course always avoid trans fats. You should know that even packages that scream “Zero Trans Fats” at you in red letters might still include trans fat.

Focus on fats humans have been eating successfully for thousands of years: butter, tallow (beef fat), lard (it’s actually over 50% monounsaturated, the same fats as in avocados and peanut butter), coconut oil (a quick energy source), and extra virgin olive oil.

See this chart of how to use fats to help you determine what to use in your kitchen.

sources: Fat and your Body, Are Saturated Fats Evil? 7 Reasons to Eat More Saturated Fat, Eat Fat Lose Fat, Fertility Diet Foods to Avoid

Katie Kimball is a mother of three who spends a ton of time in the kitchen making real food with whole ingredients and then blogs about her successes and failures at Kitchen Stewardship. She also tries to balance the green lifestyle on a single-income family budget and teaches others to do the same with weekly Monday Mission challenges. Katie is the author of four eBooks: Healthy Snacks to Go, Smart Sweets, The Family Camping Handbook, and The Everything Beans Book. Visit KS for real food and natural living dished out in chewable, baby step portions.

Virgin Coconut Oil:

How it has changed people’s lives and how it can change yours!

Includes 85 recipes – Free shipping available!