Step It Up To The Next Level
Kimberly Mendelsohn, CPT
Certified Personal Trainer & Triathlon Trainer
316-841-0466
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Ok, since my last article, you’ve started staying hydrated and eating one “Big Dog Salad” a day, right? Well, then it is time to step it up to the next level.
Okay, let’s start by having the fat talk. Not only does fat taste good, but our bodies require fat to function optimally. That’s good news because fat also makes us feel fuller longer. You hear a lot about the “good” fats vs. the “bad” fats. Eating heart healthy doesn’t mean eating no fat, it just means eating the good fats (in the proper amounts) most of the time. These include monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat. These fats are found in oils (olive, canola, and others) and nuts. These fats not only do not raise LDL, but have health benefits when consumed in moderation. Let’s briefly talk about the “Bad” fats:
Trans Fats – Trans fat is a specific type of fat formed when liquid fats are made into solid fats by the addition of hydrogen atoms, in a process strangely enough known as hydrogenation. It is commonly added to processed and ready to prepare foods like microwave popcorn, cookies, meals in a box, etc. That being said, small amounts of trans fats are found naturally in certain animal based foods. An Institute of Medicine/National Academies of Science report recently recommended that "trans fatty acid consumption be as low as possible while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet." Trans fat gives a double dose of bad news, as it increases so-called bad cholesterol, which is actually Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) and decreases so-called good cholesterol, which is actually high density lipoprotein (HDL). Most experts agree that it is the ratio of LDL to HDL which determines your risk factor for heart disease, so it is good for anyone interested in a healthful diet to greatly reduce their intake of trans fat.
Saturated Fats – Saturated fats have not been shown to decrease HDL, but have been shown to increase LDL. Saturated fats are found in animal and animal by-products, like meat, butter, eggs, cheese, milk, etc. We do need to limit our intake of saturated fat, but that doesn’t mean we have to completely eliminate it from our diets. Most of us love meat, for example (myself included), and the thought of never eating it again seems impossible.
So what’s a body to do? The easiest way I’ve found to have my cake (or steak!) and eat it too? I just eat a serving size of something that has saturated fat. What do I mean by that? Well, most meat contains some saturated fat right? And most of us love meat right? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not advocating that you sit down and eat a 16 ounce T-bone steak at one sitting. A serving of chicken, fish, beef or pork is 4 ounces….yep, 4 ounces. If you eat one serving and not three or four servings in a meal, you automatically limit your saturated fat without giving something up that you love.
For instance my husband and I both love a good steak. Beef tenderloin is one of the leanest, tastiest and yes, most expensive meats. But, when you have a 4 ounce serving, you get all the benefits and none of the draw backs. Another favorite of ours is pork tenderloin. Very tender, very tasty, and much less expensive than beef. Also, pork tenderloin is great marinated because it absorbs flavors really fabulously. It’s easy to make southwest or Asian pork tenderloin. Go ahead, eat some meat, just make sure to limit the amount you eat to one, 4 ounce serving.
I want to introduce you to some great oils that I’ve discovered and now use often:
Coconut Oil – This is an unusual food. It does have saturated fat, but it’s not an animal by-product. The fat in coconut oil is a medium chain fatty acid and is very easy to metabolize and can be preferentially used by the body for energy rather than storage on the hips! Also, it is primarily composed of a particular fat called lauric acid and lauric acid is an antiviral and antimicrobial. I know that sounds weird for food, but it is oh, so good for us. Like all fat, we need to limit it, but it makes an excellent addition to your diet.
A recent study was done on people that live on the Pukapuka and Tokelau Islands. Their diet consists of almost no processed food, is high in coconut and coconut oil and lots of fresh veggies and fruit. Studies showed that they have almost no heart disease in their health history. So, what do you do with coconut oil? It has very little flavor so I substitute it for olive oil when I don’t want my oil to add flavor – such as sautéing some foods. I also, substitute it in baked goods. I have gone as high as 1/2 coconut oil and 1/2 butter in baked goods. The flavor and texture is still good but I get the extra health benefit of coconut oil. You can find coconut oil at most grocery stores in the baking aisle or the health food section. Like other saturated fats, it is solid when cool and liquid when warmed.
Hemp Seed Oil – It has a beautiful green color and has a wonderful nutty flavor. It also has a good balance of Omega 3 and Omega 6 oils which are great for your heart health. Studies have shown that hemp seed oil will help to lower bad cholesterol and blood pressure and also improves insulin sensitivity! Never heat it up, like flax seed oil, because it needs to be kept cool to preserve the Omega oils. We love it as a salad dressing and also put it in smoothies. You’ll find it at health food stores.
Flaxseeds – We all know that flaxseeds and flaxseed oil are good for us. The oil can be a little fragile and pricey. But flax seeds are inexpensive. You can grind them in a coffee grinder and then store them in the refrigerator. I use the ground seeds in baked goods, as a topping on hot cereals, and I even add a spoonful to my smoothies.
So, there you have it: a few easy tips on eating for heart health. Remember always buy the highest quality ingredients you can afford. We are what we eat!