Wait, eating fat is GOOD for me?

"Reduced-fat", "Low-fat", and "No-fat" - these labels all run rampant in the typical American diet. So how then did we get sofat? Well for starters, contrary to popular belief, eating fat will not make you fat! In fact, fat - not carbs - is the most efficient source of energy for your body. And, if you are following a Paleo lifestyle, your body is running primarily on fat - both from your diet and what your body has stored.

Believe it or not, it is the low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet that is to blame for those extra inches around your mid-section. The reason for this is that although your body prefers fat for fuel, it will always use any carbohydrates present first because they are the easiest to break down and provide for that quick, "cheap fuel." Remembering also that our bodies are built for survival, any additional carbs and fat that that are not used immediately for energy will be stored as fat. While this was great for our ancestors who were forced to cope with leaner periods dependent on crop or game availability, modern day supermarkets negate this need by providing consumers with copious amounts of food year round.

So we know that fats are a critical component to your diet, but what you may not know is that not all fats are created equal. If you are wondering which fats to choose to round out your diet, the Grass Fed Girl has outlined the best sources. Check out her guidelines for choosing fats from her recent article:

another guide to fats from Balanced Bites

Which fats and oils to eat:

• Coconut oil
• Organic Grass fed butter
• Ghee/ clarified butter
• Grass fed beef tallow
• Pastured Duck fat/ chicken fat
• Lard From pastured pigs
• Organic Pastured Soy-free Eggs
• Palm oil
• Avocados

Eat but don't heat:

• Cold pressed olive oil
• Cold pressed sesame oil
• Cold pressed walnut oil
• Organic Macadamia Oil
• Avocado Oil
• Flax oil
• Nut and seeds

Which to avoid:

• Corn oil
• Rice Bran oil
• Canola oil
• Soybean oil
• Cottonseed oil
• Margarine
• Safflower oil
• Grape seed oil
• Most commercial salad dressing-read the label
• Low fat butter spreads/spritzers
• Cooking Spray's-Pam
• Blended olive oils-used in many restaurants to cut costs

Reasons to avoid factory fats:

• Oxidized during high heat processing, which creates pro-aging free radicals
• They increase inflammation and cardiovascular disease risk
• Made are from genetically modified seeds which have never been tested but deemed safe by Monsanto
• Toxic chemicals and detergents are used to get the oil out of the seeds
• Bleached and deodorized to make the product palatable
• Increase gut irritation and permeability opening the door for autoimmune diseases

Increase weight gain because they have appetite stimulating compounds

**Please note the presence of Grape Seed oil on the fats to avoid list. While this oil had previously been deemed a "safe fat," increasing evidence points to the contrary. For this reason, in an effort to stay abreast of the latest research and continue to provide our consumers with the best product possible, modpaleo would like to announce that we no longer use grape seed oil in the preparation of our meals and have replaced it with grass-fed ghee and animal fats that are found on the safe list.

Your body needs fat. Real fat. Don't be afraid of it!