Today, I am folding laundry and watching Guy Fieri on the Food Network. He is cooking a potato salad with a creamy dressing and bacon, using the bacon fat to cook with, some sort of sandwich that is golden fried (and oh so good looking!). He's having fun, he excited, he is going to have a good meal in a little while, and the question comes to my mind: "What is really the big deal with fat? Why is it considered to be so bad for us?"
Bacon is a natural food. Butter is all naturale. What happens to our organs when it has to break down fat? Here I stop to investigate on the web...
Fats (also called lipids) are broken down in the body by enzymes (called lipases) produced in the pancreas.
Fats are important because they aid in the digestion, absorbtion, and transportation of vitamins A,D,E, and K.
Also, like my past post about proteins, fats are a source of essential fatty acids, which are essential to the body to function.
Saturated and Trans fats are not good for us- there is a lot of explanation concerning molecular structure that I skimmed over...
So, our bodies need good sources of fats, but not too much, for the above mentioned reasons. I would venture to say that Guy Fieri should enjoy his meal, but not eat it very often. And if he didn't want to suffer from an insulin spike and have to take a nap afterwards (or maybe he does), then he could leave off the bun and find an alternative to the potato salad. Cauliflower salad might work?...
I recommend reading the full page of this link in Wikipedia concerning fats. Whether it's bacon, butter, or oil, everything is better with fat! When I follow Zone measurements, I find that my idea of how much I need is usually WAY off from what my body needs.
About this blog
In other words, the Zone + Crossfit = Optimal Heath!
This blog focuses on nutrition, using the Zone Diet as the basis. However, I often eat Paleo foods in Zone proportions.
I love to investigate anything having to do with food- what we eat and why. And what happens within our bodies, our organs, our brain, when we do? My precious mother struggled with eating disorders. I want to avoid this delimma based on research, common sense, and the natural consequences on my body. The Zone shows me where the balance lies between eating too much and eating too little.
My husband runs a Crossfit gym. Exercise and choosing the right foods have become a mission for ourselves and our children. We don't want to be nerds about it, we just want to be healthy.
I have been asked by several friends what I feed our family, especially our kids. My husband and I follow the Crossfit prescription to nutrition (meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch, and no sugar). If you know me, you know that the sugar part of this equation will be a life long struggle given my love for chocolate! Evan adheres to the stricter version known as the Paleo-Zone diet (and I do on my good days!) which requires the same foods in a ratio of 40% protein, 30% carb, and 30% fat. Children require 50% carbs, 30% fat, and 20% protein. If you're wondering how to figure this out, I do it on a per meal basis and I have a "block" chart from the Zone website.
It seems like a headache at first, but if you're interested, just know that it is not that bad once you practice it for a couple of weeks. All you need is a $10 scale and some determination. It really is quite simple and makes my life easier at the grocery store and when cooking dinner. Most of all, I feel great when I eat well- mentally and physically, and we all know that the physical can affect the mental and visa versa!
Evan and I are hunter/gatherer wanna-be's! This blog will track my journey of health as it should be, and the honest reality of living in a sugar fried culture. When it comes down to it, I get excited to talk about nutrition, but I am definitely not perfect at it! If you have the desire to eat well, but it is often a challenge to overcome the temptations along the way, then you are in the right company!
I hope you leave this blog feeling enlightened and encouraged as you go throughout your day!
No comments:
Post a Comment