It seems like every few years, a new diet fad is upon us and everyone’s focus on what healthy eating looks like shifts to something new. In our lifetimes alone, we’ve seen trends shift from no fat/high carb diets to no carb/high fat diets and everything in between.

If we’re going to be totally honest, one or more of us in the office even jumped on the cabbage soup bandwagon in high school, because hey, quick weight loss.

We did Jane Fonda’s aerobic workouts and Suzanne Somers pushed her thigh master on us while telling us to switch to Diet Coke and only buy low-fat products, which were riddled with sugar (and chemicals). Then the Atkins craze bowed down to bacon while shunning wheat toast and even fruits. If you’re one of those people out there who enjoy healthy eating and taking great care of your body, you may often feel like the rest of us and think, “What in the world should I be eating?!”

At Dr. Gena Chiropractic, your favorite family chiropractor in Plantation, we’ve got a favorite food group that may surprise you. Though we’ve been told to stay away from it for years, it’s back, and we have a feeling it’s here to stay. Can’t guess what it is? Here’s a hint, rhymes with “that,” as in, “I want to eat THAT all the time.”

You guessed it, it’s FAT.

According to Dr. Gena, “People used to be scared to eat fat. I remember growing up in the early 90's and everything was fat free and high carbs. We would scoop out bagels and put margarine (the WORST possible spread) into the carb laden, empty calorie bagel and then be starving again 20 minutes later, along with being upset that the number on the scale was rising. We had fat free cheeses and salad dressings and thought we were being healthy if we only ate the egg whites. Flash forward 20 years and now I eat WAY more fat than ever in my life and my body weight started to drop! Whole avocados, handfuls of nuts, salmon and spoonfuls of coconut oil sound like a delicious and filling, GUILT FREE day to me!”

And that’s precisely the thing. Research has found that if you have the right amount of fat in your diet, good fat, that is - your weight is likely to maintain itself, or even, better, drop steadily if you’re also exercising regularly. Ketogenic diets are now making people healthier than ever, as they support the notion that you need fat to burn fat. What a novel concept!

So what is the “good” kind of fat?

"Choosing the right types of dietary fats to consume is one of the most important factors in reducing the risk of developing heart disease," says Tufts University researcher Alice Lichtenstein. DSc.

Unsaturated fats are the ones to make peace with. Unsaturated fats include polyunsaturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fats. Both mono- and polyunsaturated fats, when eaten in moderation and used to replace saturated or trans fats, can help lower cholesterol levels and reduce your risk of heart disease.

You can find this fatty goodness in foods such as:

Avocados

Walnuts

Salmon

Cashews

Almonds

Sesame Seeds

Olive and Canola Oils

Omega-3 supplements

In addition to this, MCT (medium chain triglycerides) fats in healthy oils like coconut oil (also good to use for cooking because they can sustain high heats without going rancid).

But beware - not all fats are good fats. You’re going to want to make sure you’re staying away from or minimizing your intake of fat that is saturated, including foods such as:

High-fat dairy

Deep Fried Foods

Processed Meats

Cookies

Sugary Snacks

At Dr. Gena Chiropractic, we support your right to get your healthy fat on! For more health and wellness advice to support your balanced lifestyle, we’re here to answer any questions you might have.

Remember, your health is in your hands, but our hands are here to help.