Episode 14: Are fats really that bad?

Welcome to the Beauty of Better podcast, where we help moms thrive in health and fame.

All right, mama, welcome back.

So last week, we actually did an episode on meal planning.

And this week, we're going to follow that up with an episode that's kind of dedicated to talking about the macronutrient of fat.

So today, we're going to talk about why fat is not bad and why it shouldn't be demonized.

And we'll talk about some things that fat is actually essential for.

We'll also give examples of healthy fats that we can include in our diets.

And when we're making recipes at home for our kiddos and husbands and just our families.

So that's kind of what we're diving into today.

So I'll just start with a few reasons why fats are not bad.

It's actually the most energy dense thing that there is.

So it's got nine calories per gram compared to protein and carbohydrates, which only have four.

So it actually really has quite a bit of energy when it's like gram for gram compared to the other things that we eat.

It's really a primary source of energy for our body.

It helps with memory.

It helps with cognition.

It literally is what your brain is made out of.

So if we don't have enough fat in our diet, it's gonna affect how we can think and remember things.

And it's also gonna affect hormone levels because fats are crucial for the production of hormones.

They maintain the integrity of cells, so the way that the cells in your body are structured, they're made of fats.

So we really do need fats in our diet.

There's a lot more things that they're involved in as well.

I don't know if anybody else wants to jump in with a few other things, but those are some to start.

Yeah, I think I'll just jump in.

I feel like it was maybe our parents' generation where it was like, foods were made, and it was kind of a simple process.

We didn't have the technology that we have now.

And then it got into the fat-free generation, where it was like, all diets were fat-free, and that's what was pushed as weight loss, and for health, and to be healthier.

And so I feel like we're coming off of that generation that was told, fat is bad, have fat-free everything, and then we learned all of the repercussions of that.

And so I feel like it's jumping into this new generation of relearning that fat is a good thing, and that we need it to function, and just retraining ourselves.

I know I heard that growing up, like, oh, the fat-free everything.

So even rethinking how we process what we're putting in our bodies.

So I kind of feel like that's where this is coming from, is just, fat isn't a bad thing.

Yes, yes.

Well, it was kind of research in the 1940s and 1950s that sort of kicked off that movement of, like, fats are bad.

And then I think it kind of peaked in the 1980s, the real kind of fitness era, and everyone wanted to be sleek and slim.

And so then they're like, don't eat anything fat, because it'll make you fat.

And I think that's what I love here about Beauty of Better.

We realize that science isn't foolproof, that sometimes research proves one thing, but then over time, the scientific process will either continue to say that that's correct, or it will disprove that, and we move forward in that.

So that's what we love, that's why we're evidence-based here, is because we see the value in testing and not guessing.

And so yeah, I think just over time, the research has shown that actually, when we cut out those fats out of our diets, we do see, we saw over time, you know, detriments in health and brain function.

Also, oftentimes when food companies would take away fat, you know, to restore the flavor to a food, they would increase the sugar amounts.

And so then we were seeing people eat more sugar, but less fat, and then we saw the effects of that, you know, causing diabetes or pre-diabetes.

So, you know, it's important to realize that, like, when you do, just look at things in a balanced way, you know, not the extremes.

Like, we don't have to stress and, like, worry about, like, oh, I have to cut all fat out of my diet.

You know, oftentimes, cutting one thing out of your diet completely is usually a sign that that's, like, a fad diet and not a sustainable approach to eating.

So that was just one tidbit I wanted to bring in, because I totally remember growing up and just being like everything was like fat-free yogurt, fat-free this, that, and that.

But then I grew up in the Midwest, where then they replaced healthy fats with Crisco, like, which was actually developed as an industrial lubricant.

So, and then they were like, hey, let's put it in people's food.

Just naturally, that's the next, like, thing.

Horrible.

But, you know, so it's just like, yeah, just realizing, like, there are healthy fats that God created.

And I think, Cristiana, you are going to maybe share about, like, you guys have some stuff that grows in your yard that you eat every day.

Yeah, I think consuming fats, too, can keep you full or longer, right?

Just like by adding a protein or a fat to your food that can sustain, say, what's that word?

I'm like, the tidy, I think.

Yes, that one.

HEA did.

And so it's good to kind of pair that, especially if you know that you're going to have a longer gap between a meal or, like, you're going to be expending a lot of energy.

And so our family has an avocado tree.

And so that's one of the healthy fats that is, you know, often put on toast or, like, we even have this recipe that we scoop part of the avocado out, stuff it with chicken and salsa and a little bit of cheese and bake it in the oven and, like, eat it that way.

And then just a lot of avocado recipes when they're in season, we're just giving bags to our neighbors.

But that's one of our healthy ones.

And I think just to add to some of the stuff that you guys are saying about jobs of fat, like, when we're thinking about the carbohydrates have a job, proteins have a job, fats have a job, like, they cushion our organs.

Like, if we didn't have fats, when we go exercise, like, things are just going to be bouncing into each other, you know, a little more haphazardly.

Like, it provides warmth.

Like, we need minimum levels of fat to even function as men and women in this world.

So, like, we have actually essential levels of fat.

So the goal isn't just to go so lean in our eating that, like, we don't even have our essential fat.

We need essential and storage fat for that energy as well.

And then even thinking about, like, utilization of fat-soluble vitamins are important.

Like, we want these, like, vitamins and minerals, and we want to make sure that all of that is good.

But if we don't have our fats to help in that process, like, we're not going to really get the maximum amount of our fat-soluble vitamins.

So, and yeah, I definitely can relate to the, you know, if you look at a food label and something says low in fat, you probably have a bunch of sugars or, or fillers or something else that's making you want to actually eat it.

Because that sends that signal to your brain that it's delicious.

Same way that sugar does.

So, but avocados is our go-to one in our house for healthy fats.

I love that.

California is good for that, right?

Yes.

These avocado trees, we definitely didn't have those in Northern Ireland when we lived there.

I used to want one because avocados were expensive there.

But, you know, it is good to think about what are the natural, healthy fats that grow well in the area that you live in.

And realizing like, you know, because maybe avocados can be expensive in places of the world.

So it's like, how do you find what works for where you live, and is healthy, and sustainable, and affordable for you?

And, you know, we are all currently living in Southern California.

But, you know, and I grew up in the Midwest, and avocados are more expensive there, because they're shipped from California.

But, you know, so realizing that it's going to look slightly different depending where you live, but just how healthy, you know, fats really are, and that we do need them in our diet.

So it could look like, you know, in the Midwest, maybe that's starting your day with a bowl of like, all natural, like full fat, like Greek yogurt, something like that, you know, with berries and some chia seeds on there, and getting something like that, you know, if avocados are something that's like hard to come by.

But do you guys have any tips on things that you incorporate in your own homes?

Our kids love pistachios, like so healthy, I mean, nuts have a lot of healthy fat in them, right?

So walnuts, pistachios, almonds, peanuts, I mean, they all have fat in them, but our favorite ones are pistachios, and we just get that big bag at Costco that's like already peeled and ready to go, and they just eat them like candy sometimes.

So that's one of my favorite ones.

But I also, I really like to cook with avocado oil too.

And this is just kind of like a fun fact about avocado oil, but it has a really high smoke point, which is like the temperature that it's visibly is going to start to smoke at when you're cooking.

And if it has a, so if you're like frying something in avocado oil, and it has that higher smoke point, you can basically do that in the pan, and it's not going to start to break down and release harmful compounds, because that's basically what's happening when it starts to smoke.

So that's like, I like to use that one for cooking veggies and things like that, because it won't, it has a higher smoke point than something like olive oil, like olives, olives are a healthy fat, olive oil is really great, but it has a lower smoke point.

So I'll, I'll use that on like a salad or something with balsamic vinegar.

But then when I cook like on a pan, I'll use avocado oil.

So that's just kind of a fun fact about cooking with oil and like what, you know, there's different oils that have different smoke points and things like that.

So yeah, healthy.

I feel like you just, I just feel like you described what I was going to say because my boys love pistachio nuts.

That's like a family favorite.

And then I was going to say, I cook with avocado oil and then I use olive oil for salad dressing, which is literally what you said.

I totally stole it.

So I feel like I second that.

And then I also try to incorporate a lot of salmon into my diet, just different types of fish that have healthy fats.

And then yeah, avocados, I try to eat avocados probably more than I should.

I think I have it like at least every other day for breakfast.

So yeah, I feel like I second all of those.

So good for you.

I did want to just talk because for a while, I remember it was when we were in Northern Ireland, I think when the coconut oil craze was just like everything, coconut oil.

And we have these periods of time that you'll see with nutrition where things are really like highlighted, and then everyone jumps on the bandwagon, and all of a sudden, it's in everything.

And then that's when we get a little imbalanced in things.

But coconut oil is one of those saturated fats.

And if you look at the headlines, and it's just like, oh, all saturated fats are bad, cut those all out.

But things once again in moderation, like look at coconut oil comes from the earth, especially the cold press stuff, it's a more natural process.

And just realizing having those kind of things in our diets, obviously not in excess, but in moderation, it's good for us and has health benefits to it.

Did any of you ladies have anything to share on like coconut oil or saturated fats?

You mean me?

Yeah, we enjoy coconut oil.

Sometimes it helps hair treatment, right?

With the curly hair.

But our hair needs fats in it, so sometimes when I think of coconut oil, I think of that.

But with coconut oil, I would echo the same things, the fact that it's a plant-based saturated fat, whereas most of the saturated fats are animal-based.

I've read a few things that it does have slightly different effects, but still, we have to have that moderation.

If you decrease in one area, another area is going to increase.

So I would definitely echo those things and just thinking, how much of that are you using?

Because a serving size of avocado oil or olive oil, it's very easy when something tastes so good, to put just more on, but trying to be like, you know what, this is good for me, and I know I need to have this, but I'm gonna kind of stay in this range as well too, I think, when we're enjoying this.

Yeah, and there are, if you look up guidelines on healthy fats online, it can help keep you in that balance.

Because I think, yeah, when you do hear, oh, almost people can feel like, oh, it doesn't even count, it's like nothing.

If it's deemed as a healthy food, then it's like, oh, put it on everything.

And just realizing, oh, no, that still can have effects on our health, just if you use it too much.

So once again, it's just finding the balance and those kind of things.

But sorry, I just want to talk about that, because sometimes people are a little bit like, coconut oil, is that good, is that bad?

But something that I've been incorporating a little bit more, so we always want to get our omega-3s in there and stuff.

I love sardines, and I know it's not everybody's thing.

My husband hates it when I eat it, and my kids are always like, oh, who's making something gross?

But in our house, I make a lot of sardine salads or pasta salads, and honestly, it tastes a lot like tuna.

And I get the ones from Costco that's in the olive oil, and it has four times the amount of omega-3 as tuna.

And so, honestly, that's an easy way to boost your omega-3s to get that in.

And honestly, I crave it.

I think I'm kind of weird like that, but I literally feel like, down to micronutrients, I can feel what my body needs.

And some days, I'm like, I'm low on fat.

I need fat today.

Or literally, I'll just feel it in my body.

It's weird.

But so, I'll make a big pasta salad, and I'll post one on our Instagram page coming up because I took a picture of one that I made the other day.

But something simple like that, that you can just throw into what you would usually eat in your every day can just help boost those nutrient levels.

Something else, I do have kind of pickier kids, which has been tricky to figure out.

But we have a little boy, too, that we're fostering, and he has had every day of his life, he's had chocolate chip pancakes.

And so I got the Kodiak, is it Kodiak?

Something like that brand of like protein pancakes.

Yeah, like big box of it at Costco.

So I do that, and then I even boost it with like eggs and milk and like put all the things in it.

And then I've been putting in ground flax seeds into it.

And there's like, because that actually really makes like baked things really like kind of moist.

Putting those flax seeds in, it just adds that extra fat and kind of moisture into baked goods.

And so like honestly, into anything baked like muffins, pancakes, breads, I usually just add in at least a few tablespoons of these ground flax seeds.

And that just helps boost that fat content for picky eaters of kids, or even throwing chia seeds in there as well.

Like usually in the baked things, because I myself don't like the texture of chia seeds, like the sliminess, I can't handle.

I know some people can, but like throwing those things into stuff that can be easily disguised for kids is often helpful in our household where we have picky eaters that will just spit it out if they detent.

You know, something like that.

Is there anything you guys have done?

Well, I guess you shared a few examples, but with your kids specifically, I guess you shared pistachios, but any other ways that you've gotten healthy fats into your kiddos?

Yes, I think I shared this in a previous episode, but I'll hide avocados in fruit smoothies, just because they usually go undetected.

I feel like I have to make sure I've got berries in it though, because the texture of the berry seeds, like hide if there's any like little bits of green because they'll notice.

But yeah, I feel like I always try to do that.

That's awesome.

I do that too.

Something we do sometimes depending on, like if they're really not staying full for long enough, is just like focus on what is creating the snack that they're eating.

So if I can add, like we didn't really talk about butter yet, but buying like a high quality, like grass-fed butter where like the cows ate what they were intended to eat, and then the butter was created from the cow that was eating the grass instead of the grain, it actually like affects the amount of omega-3s that are in the butter, and you can even buy like ghee, which is like clarified butter, so it's just pure butter fat, like all the milk solids are filtered out.

And that again has a really high smoke point, and sometimes I'll cook with that, but sometimes I'll just spread like, I feel like my boys eat so much, and they're so little, and I'm like worried about when they get to high school, and I can probably talk to Danielle about that.

But sometimes just to keep them more full, if we're having toast or something, I'll just spread like a layer of grass-fed butter or ghee, and then I'll put whatever I'm putting on top of it, just to like add more calories to help keep them full.

And it's not like they wouldn't like buttered toast, but then I can still put whatever I was gonna put on top of it, and they don't really know that it's on there or not.

So I think that's maybe flipping the script a little bit, because I think as women, a lot of times it's been told to us like, oh, you know, you can't eat a certain number of calories, or like you have to keep your fat, you know, keep everything down and, you know, don't eat so much.

But I think if you're really paying attention to the quality of the foods that you're eating and you're, you know, you're actually trying to pay attention to when you start to feel full, and you're trying to eat lots of whole foods and things that are more natural, doing things like that can actually really be helpful to keep you full.

So instead of just thinking, oh, like, what do I have to cut out?

What can I not have?

Think like, what am I trying to add that's a healthier fat?

What can I add in that is something that might help keep me full so I don't get cranky?

And, you know, like, I can be a better mom when I'm full.

Like, let's be real, I'm a better mom when I've had breakfast.

We're not having breakfast.

So, yeah, just little things like that.

I think, Kathleen, we do the Kodiak cakes, too, and our kids love that.

And, yeah, there's just lots of, I think, there's lots of ways you can sneak in ingredients if you're trying to.

But fat is one that I think, like, fat is flavor.

So it brings a lot of yummy flavor to things.

So.

Yeah, so just finding, yeah, finding healthy ways to apply that to yourself and to your kids.

And, you know, something that I've been working on, you know, is like this week, I went, I was taking the boys out.

I just needed to get them out of the house.

You know, they get to the point where they're just like restless, and you're like, we are getting out of this house now.

And so I realized, like, if I would just run out, I, of course, threw in snacks for them, had that already.

But usually, you know, I just like be like, OK, I'll be fine.

I'll just toughen out through till I get back.

But I was like, no, I'm going to be intentional.

And I made myself a quick protein smoothie.

And I put the recipe up on our Instagram.

But like, I was just like, you know what, moms, like, we need to fuel ourselves.

And I put in there, I think I put in like almond milk, I put like a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter, banana, and like some greens powder and some whey protein powder.

And honestly, I was so much better at the park because I wasn't just like running on fumes, you know?

And so I just think a lot of times in this season of life, like I have, you know, four kids under age eight, sometimes nourishment looks like quick things on the go like that.

Like I didn't have time to chop up a nice like salad and have it all organized in a bento box, you know?

It's like, it just looked like throwing it all in a blender.

And like you had the kids like in their car seats to be entertained for a minute, and then you're like, grab it and go.

And but finding ways that you can incorporate these healthy fats and protein and all of that, so that you have that energy as a momma.

I just think or whether that's if you know, it's going to be a busy day at work like, you know, Danielle, Chris, well, actually all of you who work at universities, just if you know, it's going to be a busy day with back to back meetings, like something that you can throw in there that you know will nourish you and keep you going.

It's so important, you know, in planning those kind of things.

But I just want to jump in and say that.

No, I think that's so good.

I feel like, yeah, in this season of being a mom, like we need energy and we need our brains to function like optimally.

I don't know about you guys, but I feel like I've got to be on par with everything, or it feels like everything ripples and falls behind.

And so it's like, yeah, I need to make sure that I'm feeding myself and feeding my kids.

One of my go-tos lately is I've got this little coffee bar, and it has like hot-to-go cups and cold-to-go cups.

And I'll grab one of the cold cups, and I'll put yogurt in it, and then I'll put honey in it, and then I'll put berries, and then I'll put like granola or some kind of seeds on top.

And I can easily take that to go and just eat it, whether I'm in the car or sitting in a meeting, and it's just like a quick to go, stay full, have my fats, have my berries.

So that's one of my go-tos for myself, just to make sure I'm like fueling my body as I'm going through the day.

I love that.

Yeah, I would say, I know you don't like chia seed pudding, but I didn't think I liked it until I had someone else give it to me, and I have a stretch of glasses that are back to back, and so I've got a very narrow window on one of my days to eat.

And so it's an easy thing to pack is one little mason jar of chia seed pudding, another little mason jar of all the toppings that I want to mix in, and then I just shake it, and I can just eat it really quickly.

That my students are even saying, well, what is that?

That looks interesting.

Oh, why are you eating that?

And just initiating some of those conversations.

Or walnuts are our go-to in our house, or almonds.

My husband loves pistachios, too.

So those things, I feel like I can still move forward with my day, and have those things to keep me going.

I love that.

Yeah, right.

Nuts and seeds.

Those are always helpful just to keep on hand.

Those big bags.

I often have those two cashews, unsalted cashews and stuff are always so nice, just to throw on anything, or just to have that with some dried fruit and a little cup, like as you are on the go.

Little tips like that can just help keep you going.

Did we want to speak into at all?

I don't know what time we're out here if we're going to run out of time, but just a little bit on the ketogenic diet.

I mean, not like we don't want to get into in depth, but I know we addressed that a little bit in the fad diet kind of episode that we did.

But just like kind of, if anybody had any thoughts, they wanted to share on that.

Just, you know, that's kind of one of those extreme examples of focusing only on fats, or not only, but it's a very high proportion of your diet is fat.

And something like that was originally designed for patients with epilepsy, to restore balance to their body.

So sometimes we'll see these kind of clinical settings for diets, and then all of a sudden become mainstream, because we see an effect of weight loss.

And did any of you have any thoughts to share on that?

I don't know, maybe even Christiana and Kelsey, like working with athletes who have maybe tried that.

And I don't know, we want to share any thoughts on that.

I haven't worked with anyone that's been exclusively keto, but I think, generally speaking, the reason I think it kind of falls into that fad diet category is because it is so extreme.

And I think that while you might be able to do that for like a short period of time and like get your body to switch over to use like ketone bodies for fuel instead of other things, which is just getting a little too sciency for this episode, I think we can maybe break that down in another one.

But I don't know that it's what we're about here, because when we're talking about the beauty of better and like one small step that we can take to becoming better, I think that's like a very extreme large thing.

And I just don't think it's sustainable.

I've never seen anybody who's done keto for like 20 years and been successful at it.

I've seen people do it for like six months or a year, never anybody that I've worked with, because it's like, oh, that carrot has too much sugar.

I can't have that.

I'm like, what?

This is a vegetable.

I don't know, it just seems so extreme.

And I just, sure, like you might feel good on it for a while, but I think that's kind of how most fad diets are.

And so I don't know that I would encourage anybody to do keto, but, you know, if I'm, like you said, it was developed for epilepsy originally.

So that's a really specific target population.

And yeah, I think maybe we could just leave our mamas who are listening today with like one thing that they could take this week and incorporate to like, I think we've given a lot of ideas on what we like to use for healthy fats.

But if anybody has something they'd like to share on like, what could we do this week to get one step better in our consumption of fats, or just our awareness of what we're consuming fat related?

Yes, yes.

I think that's why I just wanted to address the ketogenic thing though, is because I feel like in mainstream culture, when people think of fat, they think of the extreme of the ketogenic diet.

And that's really not what we're encouraging here at Beauty of Better.

It's we're encouraging these little steps towards becoming better and realizing like, okay, I can now understand after this episode, I don't need to be afraid of fat.

But, you know, what can I look at to add to my diet to help make sure that I have these healthy fats for brain health, for joint health, heart health, all of those things, you know, and it doesn't have to be complicated.

Like all of the examples that we gave, like those are healthy, simple, everyday things that we can do.

That's not the extreme of the ketogenic diet, of being so focused on fat that you cut out carrots, for instance.

So, you know, I think, yeah, it's just good to help mommas understand that, like, we don't need to be afraid of fats in, but, like, how can we move forward in that?

But, yeah, Christiana, sorry.

Oh, go ahead.

I would just add one disclaimer that if somebody is epileptic or diabetic or have been prescribed a specific diet, like keto from their physician, stick with that.

But, yeah, I would encourage mommas just if you maybe even start with something as small as a snack this week and maybe see, like, in your weekly routine, is there a snack that you typically have that maybe is, like, a candy bar?

Or maybe it's, like, chips?

Or depending on if you're a sweet or salty person and see if you could replace one snack this week with something that has healthy fats, and just see how you feel and see if it gives you more energy and see how your mental cognition is with that.

I love that.

That's so good and so helpful.

Well, I think we shared just some helpful tips today for mamas out there.

And once again, we just are here for you, rooting you on, mama, just in taking those little steps, just taking the pressure off yourself of having to do everything perfect, but just realizing that we're all a work in progress, that we're all taking these steps forward and becoming better.

So we just encourage you and bless you in your journey.

And thanks for tuning in today.

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