This month I want to discuss dietary fats, and how they can help make your heart beat healthier or slow it down by clogging it up. There have been many reports recently that say butter is now ok to eat, coconut oil is the next best thing, and that people are putting oil and butter into their coffee as a breakfast. You may be wondering what’s true, what’s questionable, and what you should know to help you make good choices.
About Cholesterol
- HDL cholesterol is the good kind. You want this number to be high.
- LDL cholesterol is the bad kind. You want this number to be low.
- Total cholesterol should be below a certain range (200 mg/dL).
Has fat really “replaced” carbs as the new “magic bullet” for better health and wellness? Years ago when the low-fat craze started (remember Snackwells), people began eating more carbs and reducing their fat intake. Years later, the results are that, we as a nation, are heavier and sicker, hence the term “Diabesity”. So the new thoughts and research show that by reducing carbs, and replacing some of these calories with healthy fats, you can lower your risks of obesity and related diseases. With all the fats available figuring out how to make good choices can be confusing. When considering total calories, it is important to understand that fat is more calorically dense than protein or carbs, so the calories can add up quickly. Choose whole foods over fast foods to make up your diet. They are lower in fats, sugars and salt.
Some Guidelines
- Eat good fats. Include monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats in your diet. These include: olive oil, canola oil, hemp, walnut, sesame, and flaxseed oils, nuts such as walnuts and almonds, avocados, ground flax seeds, and fish oils natural found in fish like salmon.
- Limit or eliminate bad fats which include saturated and trans fats. Butter, margarine, palm oil, visible fat of meats, poultry skin, full fat dairy foods/drinks, fried foods, and high fat, high sugar treats like cakes, cookies, pies, etc… There is a lot of back and forth with coconut oil so depends which side of the fence you side on. Personally I take the side that it’s mostly saturated fat (11.8%) and it’s solid at room temperature, therefore I rarely use it (about every 6 months in cooking sweet potato baked fries with coconut oil, I will sprinkle some unsweetened coconut on my kids oatmeal, and occasionally I use it in baking.
- Get your Omega 3's and Omega 6's. These polyunsaturated fats are good for you and can help lower your cholesterol. Aim to get yours in the food form vs. supplemental pills. Many fish and nuts are great sources including salmon, tuna, walnuts, pistachios, chia seeds and ground flax seeds.
- Eat a well-rounded diet. Get a balance of foods with complex carbs, protein and fiber (25-35 grams/day).
- Stay hydrated. Don’t forget to drink lots of water!
- Get moving. Physical activity helps your waistline and is directly correlated to heart health.
- Slow down. Find ways to relax and reduce stress including yoga, meditation and massage.
Simple Swaps
Trade a bagel with cream cheese for ½ a bagel with almond butter and apple slices; a roast beef with mayo and cheese sub for a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread with mustard and veggies; 2 slices of pepperoni pizza for one slice of thin crust pizza light on the cheese and a side salad; steak and potatoes for grilled fish and veggies; fettuccine Alfredo for whole wheat pasta with olive oil, garlic, broccoli and white beans; chocolate cake for a banana sliced with peanut butter and honey; apple pie for apple slices with low-fat yogurt and cinnamon.
And, as always, combining a healthy diet with exercise, stress reduction, getting enough sleep, and not smoking will lead you on the path to optimal health and wellness.
RECIPES:
Gluten Free Cauliflower Soup (serves 4-6)
- 2 ½ cups chopped onions
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 potatoes (about 2 cups diced)
- 1 medium head of cauliflower (about 5 cups chopped)
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 ½ tsp ground fennel
- 4 cups hot water
- 1 tbsp vegetable bouillon powder or 1 bouillon cube
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chopped fresh tomatoes and chopped chives or scallions
- In a soup pot on medium heat, sauté the onions in the oil for 5-10 minutes, until translucent. While the onions sauté, dice the potatoes and chop the cauliflower.
- Stir the cumin, fennel, and potatoes into the pot, and cook for a minute. Then add the hot water. Cover, turn up the heat, and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
- In a blender, food processor, or using an immersion blender, puree the vegetables and broth until smooth. Add the lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Reheat the soup if necessary, taking care not to scorch it.
- Serve garnished with the chopped tomatoes and chives or scallions. Goes nicely with a salad and small whole wheat pita bread for a winter dinner.
Gluten Free Slow Cooker Chicken with Rice (serves 4-6)
- 2 14.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes, drained
- ½ medium onion, finely chopped
- ¼ cup chopped sundried tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 ½ tsp dried oregano
- ¾ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground pepper
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, fat trimmed
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- Stir together the first 10 ingredients in the slow cooker crock.
- Nestle chicken thighs into the mixture. Cover and cook 8 hours on LOW or 4 hours on HIGH. At the end of cooking, use tongs to transfer thighs to a plate and cover with foil. Add rice to the tomato mixture. Stir well. Cover and let the mixture cook for 5-10 minutes, until the rice heats through.
- Divide tomato and rice mixture between shallow bowls, top each bow with the cooked chicken.
