You. Need. Fat.
June 29th, 2009
Before we get going, have you entered to win free Khaya cookies yet? How about a trip to Cape Town? If not, enter here.
Ok I know what you’re thinking. Bathing suit season is here and the LAST thing any of us needs is more fat.
But, I’m here to tell you that yes, that’s exactly what you might need.
Let’s start at the beginning, which for me was in high school. When I started attending my private high school, all the girls were worried about eating fat. For lunch they ate a plain bagel and drank Snapple. These were all skinny girls. So, to my 14 year old mind, the no-fat plan made sense.
I started refusing to eat anything that had fat grams on the label, much to my mother’s chagrin. What about olive oil, she said? Olive oil is healthy!
I said, “Mom, olive oil has 14 grams of fat per serving.”
She said, “There’s no fat in eggs! Eggs are good for you!”
I said, “Moooommmmm, there are 5 grams of fat in every egg! You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
I was irritable, as most teenagers are. I also got sick a lot. When I went away to college, my digestion went from bad to worse. I had fainting spells and we wondered if something was wrong with my brain. Tests were always negative. I was fine, according to doctors.
After college I had a conversation with my mom about how I was feeling. I told her that I just didn’t feel healthy, even though the doctor said I was. I didn’t feel hearty. I was weak. My mom asked if I was eating well. I said yes, but I felt like no matter what I ate it just wasn’t being absorbed. I could drink water all day and still felt dehydrated!
I was totally functional through all this. It’s not like I was lying in a hospital bed. I was working and going to the gym and by all standard measurements…I was fine. Except I was so NOT.
Skipping ahead a number of years, I’ll just summarize by saying that I’ve cleaned up my diet a whole lot. I started eating whole grains and lots of vegetables. Processed food got the boot. Duh, I mean, you’re reading this blog so you know that!
But fat? I still didn’t want to be fat. I kicked sugar and was happy to cook with just a drizzle of olive oil.
And then came weekend 3 at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Sally Fallon (author of Nourishing Traditions and founder of the Weston A. Price foundation) was our guest speaker. I had heard about the work of Weston A. Price and admired his research. If you are unfamiliar, dig into the WAP website, pronto my dears!
Basically, Dr. Price found that people from indigenous cultures all over the world ate very different diets but had common health characteristics. They did not suffer from the diseases we see in the West. When people from the villages moved to industrialized areas and were exposed to processed foods for the first time, THAT’s when they got sick.
What does this have to do with fat? Well, as Sally explained, traditional diets ate meat – with all the skin, organs and fat included. Some cultures ate little meat but plenty of milk – whole, raw milk. In short, naturally occurring fats were an important part of their daily diets.
You’re probably thinking, yeah, but I don’t run after yaks all day. Those people burned more fat than I do. That’s why they could eat all that stuff.
Maybe. But the truth is, our bodies require a certain amount of fats to function. Here’s an excerpt from Nina Planck’s Real Food that struck me so important I just have to share it with you:
The vital role of fat in digestion is illustrated by an obscure condition called rabbit starvation, caused by a diet exclusively of lean protein…the symptoms are lethargy, nausea, diarrhea, weight loss, and eventually death. Without fat, digestion literally fails and you starve – even if you’re eating plenty.
Bingo! That was me! But there’s more.
Did you know that your brain is 60% fat? And that mother’s milk has a greater proportion of fat to protein than cow’s milk? Fats are clearly very important for human development. Not only that, they’re important for fertility too! And I’m not just talking unsaturated fat here…I’m talking full-on saturated animal fats. (From healthy sustainably-farmed animals of course.)
But heart disease is our #1 killer? How can we eat fats knowing that they are going to clog our arteries?
Let’s refer back to Weston A. Price. His findings very clearly showed that natural, traditional foods led to good health but processed, modern foods were to blame for a sharp decline in a population’s health. So, is it really about saturated fats being bad for us? What about our man-made hydrogenated margarines that have proven far more deadly than any fat that comes from nature?
Sally Fallon told us that she eats a stick of raw, organic butter in her oats every morning. She said that the fat in dairy products is essential for absorbing vitamins and calcium. That low-fat dairy products leave the body questioning where the rest of the whole food is…leading to ice cream cravings!
I did a little experiment. I started adding butter to my oats. A tablespoon, not a stick. Boy was it gooood! And within days, lines I had begun to accept in my face started to disappear. I’ve gained no weight and I’m now cooking with butter at almost every meal, along with other naturally occurring fats like coconut oil, olive oil and sesame oil. I’m avoiding man-made modern fats like margarine and canola oil. This all seems to be in line with eating organic produce – it’s like getting back to pre-industrialized times in the food supply.
Turns out that of course my mom was right. I’ve been trying to convince her to enroll at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition because she’s a natural.
If you don’t believe any of this talk about fats, just consider the past 20 or 30 years and the plethora of low-fat/no-fat products in the supermarket. By now, Americans should all be very slender!
But we’re not, are we? Shoot. There goes THAT theory.
How do you feel about eating fats in your diet? And, don’t you think my mom should enroll at IIN? 
I realize this is a radical notion, to eat fats. So here’s more reading if you are interested:
http://www.westonaprice.org/knowyourfats/index.html
http://nymag.com/restaurants/features/17130
http://www.foodrenegade.com/fat-is-where-its-at
http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2009/04/canola-oil-last-time-random-reader-question.html
This post is part of Cheeseslave’s Real Food Wednesdays and Food Renegade’s Fight Back Fridays.
I had a very similar experience – I thought fat was evil and tried to avoid it for many years. About 6 months ago, I started getting lightheaded every day, and my doctor couldn’t figure out why. Around this time I was reading about the benefits of non-homogenized milk and made the switch from skim to non-homogenized whole milk. Even though I didn’t realize it would make me feel better, this change alone eliminated my lightheadedness. Once I realized what had happened, I started using more fats for cooking. I still can’t get the “fat is evil” voice out of my head, though, and my rational mind has make it go away every time I step foot in the kitchen. I’m hoping that it’ll get easier with time.
June 29th, 2009 at 8:22 pmI know it seems so simple right? People eat less fat and get fatter. Did you know that pig farmers feed their pigs skim milk in order to fatten them up? Same goes for grains and cows. It is not fat that makes us fat!
June 29th, 2009 at 8:39 pmThis is an amazing post, Michelle! It seems like it was meant for me, because I’ve been avoiding fats like the plague. I am in the process of adding fats into my diet (afraid of weight gain), and this post gives me that extra push of encouragement. I have a question though, do you compensate the extra calories you added in from fats?
June 29th, 2009 at 8:44 pmMichelle- Yes! It is all so true! I have had very similar experiences to yours with fatigue, digestion problems, etc. I am reading Michael Pollan’s In Defense of Food right now and he gives the same information. I’ve also been following an ayurvedic diet and my vedic healer has me eating ghee (clarified butter) in the morning- or even putting some ghee in warm water and drinking it. I was worried about gaining weight- but nope, I am even losing a little. Eating Michael Pollan’s way “eat food, not too much, mostly plants” and incorporating the real fats has made a big difference in how I feel. My energy and zest for life has increased tremendously and my stomach is so much better. Oh, and those good fats like the oils give you nice shiny hair and lovely skin! And yes, I think your mom should go to the IIN. I’d love to go myself! Thanks for a great post!
June 29th, 2009 at 9:27 pmwow, this post really resonated to me. I was also one of those people scared to death of fats. I bought everything fat free, and used egg whites only. Now that I’m slowly incorporating fat back into my diet, I look and feel TONS better. My dry skin is now smooth and clear. And I have tons more energy. I still can’t stomach deep-fried foods, but am working on it.
June 29th, 2009 at 10:33 pmI’m with you sister. Yo mamma is smart (as is mine and about everyone else’s it seems). I don’t believe in cutting anything out. If you eat in moderation, you can eat anything you want! It’s so simple, but it’s complicated to actually follow. I do try, though.
June 29th, 2009 at 10:59 pmFor years I was a fat free fanatic. Now the thought of fat free cheese makes me want to puke. I embrace healthy fats, but still go low fat or fat free dairy that I have everyday like yogurt.
June 29th, 2009 at 11:33 pm@Katie–thanks for sharing your experience! who would have thought you could stop getting lightheaded by eating fat?
@Shannon–i didn’t know that about pig farmers but it makes sense…same with grain for cows. They want the cows to get fat, marbled muscle so why don’t they feed them fat instead of grain? ha!
@Maria–Good for you, keeping doing what feels good in your body! I don’t count calories at all so I don’t do any sort of compensating. However, I’d say that when I eat food with butter, it’s so satisfying that I naturally eat less of it and I have fewer cravings later.
@Torrie–I absolutely LOVE ghee. Talk about delicious! I can’t believe you also had the same experience. This is so cool, hearing everyone’s fat story
@Sophia–deep fried foods probably go into the area of fats that are less good for us anyway, unless it’s fried in ghee. So as long as you’re getting some good fats in your diet otherwise, hooray!
@Mrs.Myers–Moms rock. But it takes so long to realize it sometimes!
@HangryPants–Girl, you gotta check out Sally Fallon and the info on low fat dairy. Can’t absorb calcium without the fat! And then the doctors put everyone on bone loss medication. Sadness!
June 30th, 2009 at 7:31 amThis is great! I’m curious–do you REALLY eat a whole stick!?
I need to try this. I’m a coconut milk with brown rice and goji berries fan, myself. I will be trying the buttah thing more often after talking with you and reading this! hurrah!
June 30th, 2009 at 7:39 amGahh!! Michelle, I’m right with you! Just a few weeks ago, I cut out all forms of sugar and refined flours completely out of my diet, and found myself naturally gravitating towards more fat (mostly in the form of nuts, seeds, vegetables and their oils), and at first I was worried about it, but ironically, I have actually lost weight (which wasn’t even the goal) and these little bumps that I’ve had at the backs of my arms for years are going away! I was just going to post about something like this this week…I’ll definitely link back to you!
Keep up the great posts, Michelle!
June 30th, 2009 at 10:05 amWow, lots of great info in your post and the comments! One question though, I’ve been avoiding fats due to high cholesterol and a family history of heart disease. Are there fats that are safer for keeping a low cholesterol diet?
June 30th, 2009 at 11:34 amGreat post…great minds. I have been hooked on coconut oil and am a total Sally Fallon convert. Never felt better and haven’t gained an ounce. Here’s my piece on the bennies of coco oil: http://cook4seasons.com/archives/coconut-is-a-healthy-fat
June 30th, 2009 at 11:37 amTo think of all those holidays I made my Grandma nuts by refusing to eat dishes with butter.
My progression went from fat free, to olive oil and now I’m back to butter. No margarines and I’m trying to cut out other processed oils as well.
I really feel our diseases are grounded in processed, lab developed foods, not naturally occurring substances. I love including fat now from dairy (which works for me) to butter to nuts. I don’t want to be without them again.
June 30th, 2009 at 11:49 amThis is a really great post. My mom raised me to have low fat margarine, low fat cheese, fat free yogurt, ice cream, etc. Over the last year I began to realize that large amounts of these foods did not satisfy me, but smaller amounts of the REAL versions did!
I have heard before the importance of healthy fats and eat peanut butter every day now! I’m not a big cooker but I do make eggs and now I would love to use some raw butter instead of PAM. And I am sure it will taste MUCH better
This post was so informative and just MAKES SENSE. I look forward to embracing healthy fats more!
June 30th, 2009 at 12:16 pmP.S. I will NEVER be able to convince my mother. No amount of research and facts will ever change her mind about her low fat cheese!
June 30th, 2009 at 12:17 pmThanks for such an awesome post! I have been thinking about adressing this too but now I can just link
. I had the same convo about butter with a friend yesterday and he was shocked to know 1. that its ok and 2. that its better than margarine.
A STICK of butter in oatmeal though. First, yuck! Secondly, have you seen the “food diaries” of the WAP board members on their site? You much check it out though I don’t have the link right now. I personally think it’s a little extreme for my tastes but i’m all about using the most complete source of foods. And yes that means full fat dairy though it does take time to get used to!
June 30th, 2009 at 3:15 pm@Nancy – no, not a whole stick! but a couple of tablespoons per day for sure.
@Alex – thanks for sharing! this is great for other readers who are thinking “but won’t I gain weight if i eat fat?” You hit the nail on the head–it’s much more likely sugar and refined flour that will cause weight gain.
@Laurie – there is quite a bit of new research that again shows high cholesterol to be more caused by sugar and processed foods than by saturated fat. I know eating butter is scary for someone worried about cholesterol. I will tell you this–take fish oil! Fish oil is fantastic at clearing out the ol’ arteries. Lots of good info out there and here’s a good brand to try: http://www.radiantlifecatalog.com/product/441/healthy-fats-oils
@Karen – thanks! another testimony that fat does not make you fat!
@Lori – no kidding, everything is better with butter! Our poor moms and grandmas had to wait for us to figure it out ourselves.
@Dori – I’m glad you found this post helpful. Does your mom have any concerns about osteoporosis? If so, she may be interested to know that dairy fat is essential for absorbing calcium from her cheese. Send her my way
June 30th, 2009 at 3:17 pmthis is such a great post!! I hate when I hear girls in the bathroom talking about how they avoid fat. well we need it, plus it provides for pleasure, which I think is why I enjoy my peanut butter so much
haha
June 30th, 2009 at 4:52 pmi didnt know our brain was 60% fat though! cool.
[...] little bit about fats. Many wonderful blogs have been talking about the subject recently, including Michelle’s, Karen’s, and Heather’s. Back in the day, I was about as fat-free as you can get. My salads had [...]
June 30th, 2009 at 7:49 pmI love what you have to say. Your discussions on food, nutrition and health are inspiring. This is about living with meaning. Thank you so much for your thoughts and also for your inspiring words.
July 1st, 2009 at 6:39 amExcellent!
Hey Michelle! A few things come to mind for me when I read this…
1) I had a friend in high school who was REALLY gung ho about the low-fat diet. If I remember right, she limited herself to 10 grams of fat per day, and once she reached that limit, she would eat plain steamed vegetables, fat-free Snackwells, etc. Sadly, she is now the heaviest one of all of us — she REALLY put on weight in her twenties.
2) When I’ve been working really hard or am feeling run down, my body seems to crave fat. And not the type of craving that’s just because something tastes good. I’ll run through an entire container of pecans or almonds, and it actually makes me feel better, like I can think clearly again. I have also read that part of a hangover is the feeling that comes from demyelination of neurons in your brain, which is why fatty food tastes so good and makes us feel so much better. So I wonder if, when you’re using your brain very intensely (focusing on a difficult project, for instance), it needs fat to replenish itself.
3) A couple of weeks ago I tried the recipe you posted, for wraps with avocado, tomato, and a sunflower-seed miso spread in collard green leaves. I loved the way it tasted — but what really got my attention was that I felt full all afternoon, and felt ENERGIZED all afternoon. I can’t tell you how long it’s been since I wasn’t craving sweets by 3 p.m. I can’t even remember the last time it happened. But these wraps did it, and I wonder if it had something to do with their high content of healthy fats. I have to admit, as I was making up the wraps I was like “Am I really going to eat half an avocado AND sunflower seeds in my lunch today?” But seriously, the effect was noticeable enough that I would consider eating these for lunch practically every day… I’m going to buy the cookbook the recipe came out of.
If you connect the dots, a high-fat diet (in the context of fresh, whole foods with plenty of protein, grains, and veggies) makes sense to me!
July 1st, 2009 at 8:54 amThanks for the great post! Now I need to perfect the art of making oats in the microwave at work
July 1st, 2009 at 9:30 amGreat post Michelle-aren’t we slowly getting back to our roots.Looks like our ancestors were smarter without the use of science and technology-they just listened to what their bodies needed!!
July 1st, 2009 at 1:20 pmThe elders in my family(and none of them were nutritionists) and Ayurveda has always stressed the point that ‘ghee’ is good for the brains-that’s why we tend to add a lot of it to our traditional baby foods!!
this is a very good informative post……have been using ghee, a traditionally used cooking medium in Indian food, in all my recipes and some people come forward to tell me that ghee and coconut milk is cholesterol enhancing(???)…
i have always put forward that my grandmother who lived for more than 100 yrs, never had any other fat than ghee ( which is clarified butter)…….ayurveda syas ghee is nourishing , toning and healing for the intestines…..it also clears up the system of ‘mal’..meaning toxins inside the intestines……unprocessed butter is also used in many civilizations…..for good…….back to nature is the mantra…
July 1st, 2009 at 1:47 pmThanks for this, Michelle! Just yesterday I was loving me some macadamia nuts when someone told me they were “really unhealthy.” I asked why and he said there is a lot of fat in them. *sigh*
A few things I would add is that fat helps you lose weight and feel better doing it. There is tons of great data on it. I recommend reading Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes.
July 1st, 2009 at 5:00 pmGreat post! I love how you share your personal story. Fat really is so important and we eat a ton of it.
So yes, we feel just fine with having it in our diet.
July 1st, 2009 at 5:23 pmThis is so coincidental! I’ve cut fats drastically and become vegetarian 4 months ago because of my blood pressure. Since then, my skin is not as moist and there has been a noticeable aging. Just yesterday I decided to reintroduce fat into my diet.
July 1st, 2009 at 9:23 pmI completely agree. I do eat fat, mostly healthy fats (I love nuts and avocado). Although I probably eat too much butter…
July 1st, 2009 at 9:44 pmGreat post! I loved reading your story.
I personally never fell for the lies about fat. I guess I was too steeped in Julia Child and Jeffrey Steingarten and other gourmet/foodie types to listen to a word of it. I always ate butter and cream and foie gras and good cheese. Although I did buy 2% milk. I could never drink skim milk though — I always called it “white water”.
I have never eaten as much fat as I do now. Now I slather on the butter as thick as I can and use cream or at least half & half in my coffee. And of course I’m avoiding the trans fats and industrial waste product-type fats. Instead of cereal with 2% milk, I now eat eggs and bacon for breakfast — or whole milk yogurt with extra cream, or oatmeal with butter and cream.
I’ve been doing this ever since I discovered the Weston A. Price Foundation a year and a half ago and guess what? The PMS and menstrual cramps I have had all my life (well at least since I was a teenager) are GONE. Totally gone.
It makes sense — fats help us balance our hormones. I’m really blown away by it though. I can’t believe my period comes and goes every month these days and I don’t feel a thing. Not one single cramp or discomfort. I used to be under my desk in pain, popping Tylenol like it was candy!
Anyway thanks again for the great post.
July 1st, 2009 at 10:40 pmFrom reading Michael Pollan’s books I found out that milk actually needs the fat in it to absorb the nutrients. That makes sense why are the low fat milks are vitamin enriched.
July 2nd, 2009 at 1:18 pmGreat post, how can I not love a post that supports eating butter and whole milk, lol! Though I do believe the biggest issue is portion control, that apparently us Americans don’t have a good hold on that issue.
July 2nd, 2009 at 3:06 pmI have to admmit, I’ve been pondering for a few days, trying to decide what I think. I agree that we need fat and that our culture at large has a Hollywood-induced phobia of it. I’m not so sure about the animal fats part. There are segments of almost every culture that are vegan, often for religious reasons, but they do fine in terms of gathering nutrients. In my own case, I have a family history – plus I’m a juvenile diabetic — which makes me afraid to take in much animal fat or other saturated fats(granted, most of my posted recipes have some). But I use olive oil, avocados, nuts, etc, pretty liberally, and I know fat has an important role in our nutrition and health, one that we’re often encouraged to deny. This is a great discussion — and I love all the feedback. Nice job.
July 2nd, 2009 at 3:32 pmWOW- very interesting. This is one of my favorite posts of yours so far. I am going to go eat some fat
July 2nd, 2009 at 6:31 pmHey Michelle, it’s Ana from ism. This is so interesting. I myself can relate to the whole digestive problem issues and feeling tired. That is why I found sort of funny that while I started on Weight Watchers I started feeling better. It was all the nuts, the oatmeal and the milk! Wow! But I have to be better. I will pay more attention to the fats from now on.
July 2nd, 2009 at 8:51 pmAny other foods with fats that I can eat while trying to lose weight?
Thanks, always love your posts (and nicely designed, ha!)
@Kailey – keep rocking that PB! and thanks for stopping by.
@Miss S – I’m blushing! You’re a doll
@Elizabeth – I just love when you leave comments! Always so thoughtful and well written. Unlike my fragmented sentences. haha Anyway, I’m super glad to hear you felt good effects of trying those raw wraps! Maybe it was the fat, maybe the fresh greens, or lack of grain, who knows? If it works, go with it!
@funderbug – Sometimes I buy whole, raw oats groats and soak them overnight. In the morning I blend with water (or milk) and eat like a cold cereal. It’s very easy and good and requires no microwave magic!
@Sweta – Ghee is a great example of a food that makes you so happy to find out it’s good for you! So delicious in everything!
@Sangeeta – Cholesterol seems to be the first objection people make, after worries of gaining weight when you talk about eating fats. For years we’ve been told it’s the saturated fat in our diets that cause heart disease. But I believe it has quite a lot to do with the sugar and processed food in our diets, not the natural fats that we’re meant to eat.
@darya – thanks for the book reco!
@Kimi – thanks for commenting! you’re a good example of someone who is healthy and doing well on fats
@Crafters100 – A great coincidence! Let me know how it goes as you reintroduce fats.
@Vered – Well, according to Sally Fallon there isn’t such thing as too much butter so you’re probably doing ok!
@Cheeseslave – I hope everyone who reads this post reads your comment! Thanks for sharing. Your personal testimonies are very helpful.
@Liz – yup, need that fat. not sure enriching with vitamins does any good if you can’t absorb them, y’know?
@Jenna – especially portion control at fast food restaurants, I’d have to add
@Becky – FINALLY someone shows some real doubt on this topic! Thanks for commenting. I really don’t know the answer but from what I understand most indigenous cultures ate meat of some kind, or at least fish which was considered very important. But even eating vegan, as long as you’re getting a varied mix and plenty of fats and feel good – hooray!
@Erica – Thanks girl! It would do my heart good for you to melt so organic butter all over one of your veggie dinners
July 2nd, 2009 at 9:33 pmThank you! It is all about real food. I can do without sugar, carbs, and salt and definately packaged food, but I can’t give up olive oil and lemon. And I now have permission to eat a modest taste of the skin of the roast chicken with my white and dark meat? Great blog. Good work.
July 2nd, 2009 at 9:47 pmI used to eat butter as a kid. Not ON anything. Just butter. My grandmother would slap my hands and warn me that if I kept it up they’d have to bury me in a piano case. I had a cousin buried in a piano case, and it scared the fat right outta me. Now, since doing some research, I eat butter again. Just a little taste here and there. It’s so good. I love my grandma, but she was w-r-o-n-g on this one.
July 2nd, 2009 at 10:22 pm[...] You. Need. Fat. <<I love Michelle’s (@MPfennighaus) perspective on dietary fat in this article. Just this week I’ve fielded a ton of questions and confusion about fat. I love oils, and so should you. (The Daily Balance) [...]
July 3rd, 2009 at 8:51 amI am just learning about Real Food, and loved this article! I am a very healthy eating person, and now I am digging into Nourishing Traditions and learning about the Food Industry and how food is really supposed to be. Thanks for this post!
July 3rd, 2009 at 11:49 amThanks for sharing your story. My mom was really into non-fat everything, and ‘because I had no self control’ I was about 15-20 lbs overweight when I was a teen. As soon as I got married and moved out and started using high-fat everything to please my new husband, the weight came right off and my mood started to stabilize.
July 3rd, 2009 at 2:31 pmI don’t know about a whole stick of butter in oats, but fat is very necessary for absorption. My grandma always tells me stories of how back in the day they would only really eat organic foods even though they weren’t labeled ‘organic’. Whole milk, cream, butter, along with fresh produce, grains, etc. Everything was made from scratch and that is why they lived so long. Interesting!
July 3rd, 2009 at 5:12 pmThanks for the great post Michelle.
Years of having well intentioned adults cram information into our brains that margarine is better for us, and fat free is the way to go can take a long time to undo. The last several years have taught me that butter, olive oil, and eggs are in fact, not the tool of the devil.
July 5th, 2009 at 12:12 pmHaha, that looks like my kitchen cabinet with all those fats!
Great post. Very informative. We have similar health stories! More fat equals better digestion, skin, hair… everything it seems. You are so lucky you got to see Sally Fallon speak!
July 6th, 2009 at 3:18 amLOVE this post — so many people are confused on the topic and they should all READ THIS!
thanks for putting it together, I’ll be sure to pass it along
July 6th, 2009 at 12:21 pmWellllll, I was about to go out and buy fat free cheese etc. like my weight watcher’s book told me to, but I guess I can cross them off my list! Sweet.
July 6th, 2009 at 8:23 pmI wish everyone who is still eating egg substitute and putting fat-free “creamer” in their coffee could read this post! I don’t know where we got the idea that imitation foods are better than the real thing, but it’s sure taking us a long time to unlearn this lesson.
July 9th, 2009 at 8:42 amgood post! i use only natural fats these days since reading up on the “real food” lifestyle. I haven’t really got into too much but have incorporated some of it. I got a Nina Planck book from a blogger and I plan on reading it this next month. I might even get Nourishing Traditions to see if it is something that will work for us.
July 9th, 2009 at 9:25 am[...] A Locavore’s 4th of July (Colleen/FoodieTots)13. Michelle @ Find Your Balance (Why Non-fat is Nonsense)14. Simple, Good, and Tasty (behind the scenes at the farmers market)15. Cafe Cyan (Swiss Chard [...]
July 9th, 2009 at 5:45 pmYou are right that fat is good for you. The problem is not fat, but carbohydrates. Here is a very enlightening article: http://www.second-opinions.co.uk/should-all-animals-eat-a-high-fat-low-carb-diet.html
July 11th, 2009 at 4:07 am[...] sources (for a fascinating and informative article on the importance of dietary fats, go to Michelle’s blog). I have found a diet, my diet, that makes me feel healthy, satisfied, and interested. [...]
July 14th, 2009 at 1:23 pm[...] You. Need. Fat. – Michelle of Find Your Balance explains that extremely low-fat diets are extremely unhealthy. [...]
July 11th, 2010 at 9:51 am