Ditch these man-made fats are never healthy

Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, as well as manmade trans-fats or “buttery spreads” like Earth Balance, Benecol, and I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter are not healthy. These oils are highly processed and oxidize easily via one or more of the following: light, air, or heat.

- Margarine/buttery spreads

- Canola oil (also known as rapeseed oil)

- Corn oil

- Vegetable oil

- Soybean oil

- Grapeseed oil

- Sunflower oil

- Safflower oil

- Rice bran oil

- Shortening made from one or more of the above-listed “ditch” oils

guide to: cooking fats

Choose fats and oils based on: 1. How they’re made—choose naturally occurring, minimally processed options first; 2. Their fatty acid composition—the more saturated they are, the more stable/less likely to be damaged or oxidized; 3. Smoke point—this tells you how hot is too hot before you will damage the fats, though it should be considered a secondary factor to fatty acid profile.

EXTRA-VIRGIN

I highly recommend Kasandrinos Imports brand extra-virgin olive oil because it is 100% pure Greek olive oil without any additives or fillers, and it is pressed and bottled very quickly. Batches are imported and sold directly within the United States immediately, and it is the freshest, most delicious olive oil I have ever tasted.

You can find this high quality olive oil online at www.kasandrinos.com.

budget priority #2: protein (meat/seafood/eggs)

Before going to the grocery store, it is best to be prepared with a list of the meats and seafood you want in order of priority. Understanding the levels of quality and the categories of environments in which animals have been raised, including what they have been fed, will help you choose the best quality. Watch for sales of these meats and seafood so that you can stock up. A small investment in an extra freezer will pay for itself in no time when you can buy meat in bulk at lower prices.

Of course, a better way to save on meat is to find a local farm from which you can purchase a whole animal or a portion of one. They are typically butchered to your order, and you may even be able to find someone else to share the meat with you if you don’t want to buy an entire animal. Check out your local Weston A. Price Foundation chapter, CrossFit gym, Meetup.com group, or other communities centered around health and nutrition to find others looking for a “meat share.”

Buy 100% grass-fed, pasture-raised meats whenever possible, and eat the cuts within your budget that appeal to you. Do not be concerned about the leanness of high quality meat. If your budget dictates lower quality meat, buy leaner cuts, as the fatty acid profile of conventional meats will hold a lower proportion of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids.

Meat from 100% pastured animals contains three to five times more CLA than products from animals fed conventional diets. CLA is an important antioxidant that has been shown in many studies to combat modern diseases like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. People often take CLA supplements when they want to lose weight (fat), but eating it in whole foods is a better choice.

Just like humans, animals store toxins in their fat, so if you eat an animal that may have been exposed to poor quality/non-organic food, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, antibiotics, and exogenous hormones (hormones from an outside source other than the animal’s own production), most of the residue from those toxins will be in the animal’s fat. Meat in the U.S. is graded based on “marbling,” which refers to the amount of fat swirling through the meat. While that fat is tasty, and I welcome any amounts of it that end up in my grass-fed meat (which is naturally leaner than grain-fed meat and never thickly marbled), it is the unhealthiest part of conventional meat. Conversely, whatever fat you can find on 100% grass-fed or pastured-animal meat will be healthy to eat because it will not contain toxins. Sadly, like humans, animals get fatter from the foods that are unnatural for them to eat.

budget priority #3: carbohydrates (veggies/fruit)

Buying produce that is in season allows you to get primarily locally grown items. You will also save money on these vegetables and fruits since shipping costs are less for your grocer. This is an environmentally conscious way to shop as well.

Vary the vegetables you eat so that you give your body a wider variety of nutrients. If you consistently reach for broccoli, try switching to Brussels sprouts. Instead of cabbage, try kale. Try sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, or turnips instead of potatoes.

Do you always have to buy organic? Here are some rules of thumb on that subject:

If you are peeling off a thick skin or outer layer of the produce before eating it, you are safe to choose non-organic. This includes banana, pineapple, kiwi, melon, onion, avocado, and citrus fruit (unless you are using the zest or peel).

If you are eating the item without peeling it, or it has a very thin, porous skin, organic is better. This includes apples, berries, stone fruits (peaches, nectarines, plums, and cherries), bell peppers, and leafy greens.

Choose organic vegetables and fruits from The Environmental Working Group’s “The Dirty Dozen” list whenever possible. Non-organic versions of their top 12 vegetables and fruits have been shown in tests to contain the highest levels of pesticide, herbicide, and fungicide residue. Visit the Environmental Working Group’s website (www.ewg.org) regularly, as the list may change from year to year. You can also find a complete list that ranks more than 24 fruits and vegetables.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14