Balancing Blood Sugar With Fat

Balancing blood sugar with fat helps us stop eating constantly which makes our blood sugar a roller coaster of highs and lows. Here’s how it works.

First we add more water to our diet. Then we add high quality proteins because protein keeps us full. And now…Fat. Thought you shouldn’t have it? Think again.

Balancing blood sugar with fat

Fats (or lipids) are used for energy in the body as a slow burn. Unlike the quick burst of energy from a carbohydrate, fats provide a long term source of energy. Fats are additionally beneficial as they:

Absorb fat soluble vitamins
Aid in the maintenance of a steady metabolism
Nourish the skin, hair, and nails

Fats, like proteins, are macronutrients; they need to be broken down to be effective. Fatty acids and glycerol are the components of fats.  Their structural arrangement determines whether they are deemed “healthy” or “unhealthy” due, in part, to their level of saturation. Trans fats, saturated fats, unsaturated fats, and essential fatty acids (Omega-3) are the different types of fats, and some are healthier than others.

Balancing Blood Sugar Starts With Water
Stay Away From Trans Fats

Trans fats are chemically altered fats. Since they are man-made, the body has a difficult time processing them. These fats raise LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels, accelerating heart disease and aging. They increase food’s shelf life and give flavor to processed foods, commercially prepared baked goods and margarines. They should be eliminated from a healthy diet.

Minimize saturated fats

Saturated fats are solid at room temperature and, with one notable exception, their consumption should be minimized. The exception is coconut oil as it contains beneficial medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs). Coconut oil can:

Promote heart health
Stimulate metabolism
Keep the skin youthful looking

Add healthy unsaturated fats

Unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature, like canola and olive oil. These are fats that can be added to the diet as a healthier alternative to the synthetic trans fats and the saturated fats like butter.

What are essential fatty acids

Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are “essential” because the body cannot make them. Ergo, they must be obtained through the diet. They are the most healthy for us to consume, but also the least common in a typical American diet.

Notably, they are anti-inflammatory, and keep the blood sugar level consistent. This promotes:

Memory
Energy
Mood
Decreased stress

EFAs are divided into the Omega-3 and Omega-6. The standard American diet overloads the 6s and skimps on the 3s. Omega-3s are found in:

Oily fish
Fish oil supplements
Walnuts
Flax seed

In some individual diets the ratio is skewed 20:1 in favor of Omega-6, which limits the anti-inflammatory punch of the Omega-3.

What Does Mindful Shopping Have To Do with Balancing Blood Sugar
Watch out for no or low fat foods

When diets are labeled “No fat”, “Fat free” and “Low fat”, the mindset is to remove fat, as though its mere presence in the diet created havoc.  Fat is not the enemy! It is an essential macronutrient, and its removal from the diet is what is detrimental.

When one nutrient is removed from a balanced diet, another takes its place. In the case of removing fats, the alternative is often sugar. Therefore, a seemingly healthy version of a “No fat”, “Fat free” or “Low fat” diet becomes a “High sugar” diet and back on the roller coaster you go.

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