's motd Tues Aug 3, 2010

[Guest guest]

FAT TALK

Tuesday, 03 August 2010

Lets' face it, we were all raised eating lots of fat. So the taste of fat is on our tongues and taste buds from a very early age. We may as well admit it, there's just something comforting about those fatty foods sliding down our throats.

When I was a kid, I was so into fried chicken. When I bit into a drumstick, I'd close my eyes and thanked God as I savored that first bite. Oh, so warm, so greasy...so good!Back in the 50s, we didn't have a lot of rules and regulations to follow about what and how to eat. Shucks, we just ate! As you know, I grew up in New Orleans' French Quarter. But, truth is, I think we should have called it the FAT Quarter!I really didn't know too much about eating healthy foods back then, even when I was trying to lose weight. That's because I always chose some crazy, super-strict diet or depended on dangerous eating disorders to help me lose weight. But little by little, as I began reading more about fats, I understood why too much fat can be truly detrimental to your health.There are three kinds of fats. First, let's talk about saturated fats. These are fats that come from nature in the form of fatty meats, ice cream, whole milk and butter. These are not good sources of fat. I mean, when you bite into a drumstick, not only are you eating the meat of the chicken but the skin is where all the fat is. Saturated fats should be eaten sparingly.

The next category of fats are called trans fats. They're the ones you should work the hardest to avoid. Trans fats don't come from mother nature, they're manmade. They're created in a lab to simulate the taste of saturated fats. Oh, it's a mess the way they're produced. In some "food lab," they pump hydrogen into liquid vegetable oil to make it more solid. (Charming, right?) They use this process to make foods containing trans fats taste more like the "real thing." And truthfully, that's the whole point. But these types of fats are really bad for your body.Trans fats are usually found in processed food, such as cookies, cakes, French fries, margarine and donuts. This goopey fat goes from your mouth into your arteries where it may cause them to become inflamed and stiff. And you know where that can lead, to a stroke or even a heart attack.

Now I know what you're thinking, ", how can anyone eat like that?" Well, truth is, millions of people do...everyday! But please, I really want you to steer clear of those trans fats!

The third group of fats are called unsaturated fats. These fats also come from nature but not from animals. When you use the right amount of olive oil on your salads, you're giving your body a beneficial and healthy unsaturated fat. Other unsaturated fats include avocados and all varieties of nuts. Your body actually needs these kinds of fats because when you eat them, they lubricate your insides and help you digest your foods more efficiently. Like the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz needed oil, our bodies need these healthy fats to help keep them lubricated and running smoothly. As I said earlier though, even the good fats, like olive oil have to be consumed in the right size portions.As for me, I eat about 30-35 grams of fat per day. I eat no foods that contain trans fats. And I may have a few calories of saturated fat on occasion. But truth be told, I'm really more of an unsaturated fats kinda guy. Now come back here tomorrow because we're gonna talk about one of my favorite past times, reading food labels.Love,