Monday, April 8, 2013

April's Challenge Continued

How are things going for April's challenge of eating more healthy fat? I hope this has started off well for you and you are enjoying the benefits.

For the challenge this week, I want to focus on hydrogenated oils. Instead of increasing these oils, I want you to work on eliminating them. This could be a challenge, especially if you are used to eating processed, pre-packaged foods, because they are loaded with hydrogenated oils. Maybe for were you are in your health journey, fully eliminating them is not feasible, then try it for one day or maybe two days a week to begin. Continue to add a day a week or every other until you have eliminated them. This is a journey and it can take time. If you are already well into your journey of healthy eating, maybe fully eliminating these oils is the next step for you. Where ever you are, take the next step!

Where you will find hydrogenated oils is in food with omega-6 in them. These are foods like soy, corn, sunflower oil, safflower oil, animal products from grain, soy, corn feed animals, canola, vegetable oils and spreads. When reading a food label, look for hydrogenated oil on the label. Even if on the front, it says no hydrogenated or trans fats, be sure to read the ingredients. Here in the US, food manufacturers are allowed to put so much in and still call it "free" from these deadly oils. Read the labels! This will basically keep you on the outer portions of the grocery store, buying single ingredient items, real food.

If you are going out to eat, ask what they cook their food in. If it is vegetable oil, ask for yours to be cooked in butter.

Other places to watch out for trans fats is from unstable oils being cooked. Oils such as olive, flax, walnut, oils which are higher in omega -9. These are all very healthy oils and provided much needed fat and other nutrients, just do not cook them. Heating these oils changes them into trans fats.

By eliminating hydrogenated/trans fats from your diet, you will be protecting your heart, decreasing inflammation in your body, which is at the root of every disease, take off inches from your mid section, plus you will not be eating processed food and instead be eating highly nutrient rich dense foods that will nourish your body among many other benefits.

In other posts this week, we will talk about why these oils are so bad for us and why they are so prevalent in our foods today. So, if you are interested in more of those details, they are to come, otherwise, know you will be doing your body a favor by eliminating hydrogenated oils.

Saving the world one stick of butter at a time.
God's many blessings,
Jenn

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