Vitamin Supplements

Although the trend in recent years has been toward low-fat diets, the truth is that fats are essential for health. Eating the wrong types of fat damages cells, causes cancer and heart disease, and speeds up the aging process. But eating healthy fats provides protection against cancer, heart disease, and other degenerative diseases, and helps to keep you young.

Unhealthy fats include polyunsaturated oils, saturated fats, and hydrogenated oils. Polyunsaturated oils such as safflower, corn, sesame, soybean, and sunflower oils are extremely detrimental to your health. They quickly oxidize when exposed to oxygen and create free radicals, mutant molecules that destroy healthy cells.

Polyunsaturated oils become even more toxic when they undergo the process of hydrogenation to become margarine or shortening. Trans-fatty acids are created during this process, an unnatural and dangerous fat that impairs healthy cell function, clogs arteries, lowers beneficial HDL cholesterol, depresses the immune system, and stimulates the growth of cancer. Don’t eat these fats or any processed or packaged foods made with them. Not only are they sources of harmful free radicals, but once inside the body, they continue to oxidize and create more free radicals. In addition to eliminating polyusaturated oils and hydrogenated fats, also cut down on saturated fats, found primarily in red meat, whole milk dairy products, poultry skin, and palm and coconut oil. These fats cause an increase in unhealthy blood cholesterol, clog the arteries, and greatly increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

The healthiest form of fat is extra-virgin olive oil. Olive oil is a monounsaturated oil, and slow to oxidize. In addition, it offers a variety of health-protective benefits. Olive oil reduces harmful LDL cholesterol levels and at the same time raises levels of protective HDL cholesterol. It helps to cleanse the blood of excess cholesterol, and contains natural substances that prevent the formation of dangerous blood clots. Olive oil also makes cell membranes more resistant to the destructive effects of free radicals, and helps to prevent heart disease and cancer. While peanut and canola oils are also monounsaturated oils, peanut oil is often contaminated with pesticide residues and contains naturally occuring toxins. Canola oil, made from rapeseed, is also likely to be contaminated with pesticides and is extracted with toxic solvents. Organic expeller-pressed canola oil is available at natural foods stores, and some people like using it because it is virtually flavorless. However, it does not have the health-protective benefits of olive oil. The only fats in my kitchen are extra-virgin olive oil, organic ghee, and organic butter. I love the flavor of good olive oil, and use it for salads and sautéing. For occasional baking, I use organic butter or ghee, which is clarified butter. According to Ayurvedic medicine, ghee has health-protective properties and helps the body to eliminate toxins that are stored in the fatty tissues.

A good general guideline is to keep your total level of dietary fat to approximately 20 percent of your daily caloric intake. Make sure that you’re getting plenty of the beneficial omega-3 fatty acids, found in oily fish, such as salmon, tuna, and sardines, and in some vegetable foods, primarily flaxseeds, walnuts, and soybeans. Vegetable sources of omega-3 fatty acids are less potent than fish oils, but are a good alternative for vegetarians. In addition, eat foods rich in glutathione, primarily found in fresh fruits and vegetables, a powerful antioxidant which helps to protect the body from rancid fats.

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