2 Fats
“Aim to get 80 percent of your calories from carbohydrates, 10 percent from fat, and 10 percent from protein.”
Reflection
Every day, I eat a variety of whole foods in forms as close to their natural state as possible. I eat fruits, and herbs, and greens, and vegetables. I eat nuts and seeds. Other animals are not my food. I do not eat them. I also avoid processed foods and added salt, oils, and sugars.
As I eat my plant-based diet, I get 80% of my calories come from carbohydrates, 10% are from protein, and 10% from fat. As a high-carbed-low-fat-plant-eater, I thrive. Initially, to get an understanding about what I was eating and the balance of my diet, I used Cronometer to track my nutrients. For a few years, I recorded in my Chronometer diary, all of the foods that I would eat for the day. In this way, I learned a lot about the nutritional value of each one. I was careful to get all of my required nutrients and to keep the 80-10-10 balance that I knew would work for me. Now I have a pretty good understanding of what foods give me what. I plan my meals and eat my foods without having to track the nutrients daily.
In all that I eat, for today, I want to focus on the fat. The what and why of the fat I eat.
I eat fat. Fat benefits my body. Whole plant foods supply my all fat needs. I really don’t have to worry about “good” fats or “bad” fats because in their whole forms, there are no “bad” plant fats. Perfectly packaged with fiber and nutrients, the fats I choose are pure and natural without cholesterol and without chemicals. I fuel up with an adequate supply of short chain fatty acids found in monounsaturated and in the omegas. I get my fats from the same place other animals get them: plants. I avoid oils. Clear and nearly tasteless, highly refined and processed, oils are highly inflammatory. Most oils are unbalanced and high in omega 6, lacking the balance of the omega 3. This unbalance has undesirable effects such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, cancer and more. Why not oils? Oils are not whole foods. They are processed. They are so condensed. Heavy on the calories and not very tasty, I do not add them in any way. Instead of coconut oil, give me the coconut. Instead of olive oil, bring on the olives. Instead of sesame oil, I eat the seeds. I enjoy my fats in their whole forms. I like the taste better, and they agree with me.
The fats that I eat are whole fats from plants, and are beneficial to my body. The monounsaturated fats and the omegas found seeds, and nuts, and avocados nourish me. Because of my choice to only eat whole plants, I avoid all of the saturated and trans fats of meat and dairy and man-made hydrogenated oils. I keep my omegas in balance the 3 as much as the 6. My body does not make these double bonded, polyunsaturated fats. I must get them from my diet. And I do! They are essential! They are not only used for energy or stored, but are utilized well by my body performing processes like blood clotting and reducing inflammation. The 6s are inflammatory and the 3s are anti-inflammatory — Just what my body needs! Inflammation is a defense - protecting me from infection and injury if kept in check. Unbalanced with 3, too much of the 6s lead to heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, and cancer. A diet with balanced amounts of the omegas does not have these side effects and also reduces inflammation.
I combine my fats with my greens for optimum nutrient intake. Studies have shown that because many of the nutrients are fat soluble, the fats are the way that the body is able to break down and absorb them. Because of the variance in digestive rates, fruits and fats do not make a good combination. The fruits digest so quickly and the fats, more dense take so much longer. Because I keep my fat intake low, I eat my fats a little at a time with my green smoothies, and at night, I add them to my large salads.
I eat low fat because of the design of my body - the human body. As a human, my body runs on carbs. I am a sugar being. Sugar that comes from plants. Whole plants. My cells run on sugar. Eating fruits and greens, the sugar, assisted by the fiber, is slowly released into my blood stream as glucose, waiting to be incorporated into the cells where it will be burned as fuel. My body is aware of the sugar in the blood, and sends out the message. My pancreas responds and sends insulin, the gatekeeper, to unlock the cells so that the sugar can enter. As a low-fat-plant-eater, this cycle runs brilliantly. I eat, my body burns the fuel, and I perform like a well-tuned race car - perfectly purring through life.
However, if I choose to eat a high-fat meal, the fat enters my body and coats my cells. The sugar is released and the signal for insulin resounds. In comes insulin, but the locks are gummed. This hormone has a difficult time opening my cells. The sugar gets backlogged into my blood stream. Problems occur. There is so much sugar in the blood. More insulin is sent. More and more. The sugar becomes food for yeast and parasites. Feelings of heaviness arise. Lethargy. Cravings. My body wants fuel, but the intake is slow. Fat is the cause of why the sugar can not get into the cell. That is another one of the whys I eat low fat.
There are other unfavorable side-effects of high-fat diet too. I like to eat. I like to eat a lot. If I choose to eat larger portions of the higher calorie foods of nuts and seeds, my calorie intake would be off the charts. Also, my body only needs a small percentage of fat to get all of the fat related tasks completed like absorbing nutrients, producing hormones, and growing my hair. If I fueled up on fats, I would eat less carbs. My body runs on carbs, and so - I would not be as energetic as I am now - lol - my husband calls me the Eveready Rabbit. And it is true - my fuel is clean and well-balanced. My energy goes and goes and goes. Also, the fat that is not used - is stored. I do not want to carry the weight of extra fat around on me day after day. I like being comfortable in my skin. I like having energy to live the life I love and to do all that I desire to do. That is why — my diet is balanced the way that it is — so that I can thrive - and I do - I thrive.
To put the low-fat into perspective, as an 80-10-10 eater, if you are eating 2400 calories a day, at 10%, 240 of those calories would be from fat. This is about 26 to 27 grams of fat.
Fats are beneficial - important for my brain, my skin, my hormones, my nails, my cells, my hair. Also eating fat with greens boosts the nutrients uptake. When eating greens abundantly I can get about 5% of my fats. To move it to 10 to 12%, I eat whole nuts and seeds. When I am feeling hungry and am looking to fill up, I choose fruits and vegetables. I measure out my fats with awareness. I eat them - with awareness. And I am thankful for all of the benefits my body receives!
A Few of My Favorite fats:
Avocados
A great source of vitamins C, E, K, and B-6, as well as riboflavin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, and potassium, avocados are a naturally nutrient-dense stone- fruit that contain nearly 20 vitamins and minerals. They also provide lutein, beta-carotene, and the essential omega-3 fatty acids.
Raw Hulled Hemp Seeds
Hemp seeds are a great source of fiber and protein and contain all the essential amino acids. They supply many micro-nutrients such as magnesium, thiamine, and zinc.
They have an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio: 3:1 which makes them perfect to pair in a What I Eat in a Day plan with chia seeds which are higher in the omega 3, having a 1:3
Walnuts
Walnuts are a health food for sure and have been the subject of scientific scrutiny for many years. Studies have discovered them to be rich in antioxidants a great plant source for the anti-inflammatory omega-3s. They have discovered that they create a healthy gut by feeding good bacteria, reduce the risk of cancer, help to control appetite and hunger.
Chia Seeds
Small but powerful, chia seeds are hailed as one
of the most nutritious foods on the planet. Loaded with fiber,
omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and various micro-nutrients including manganese and zinc and many of the B vitamins, they are a perfect addition to green smoothies!
Omega 6 to 3 ratio: 1:3
Sources
Campbell, T. Colin. Nutritional Studies :
Fat and Plant-based Diets https://nutritionstudies.org/fat-plant-based-diets/
Greger, Michael. Nutritional Facts :
What Causes Insulin Resistance: https://youtu.be/Aw8hufhIDu0
Good, Great, Bad, and Killer Fats https://nutritionfacts.org/video/good-great-bad-killer-fats/