The Value of High Fat Foods

Now when people hear the term, “high-fat” or “fatty”, they almost inherently associate that food with the word “fattening” as well. We hear all about good fats, bad fats, and even really bad fats, but most people are used to either fully embracing or completely eschewing fatty foods.

Low-fat foods and overall lower-fat diets do tend to allow people to live longer, healthier lives. But one thing that most people fail to recognize is that even though you may eat an overall low-fat diet, that doesn’t mean you can’t include fatty foods and get all the benefits from them.

Although I recommend avoiding oils and eating a low-fat diet in general, it doesn’t mean the total exclusion of high-fat foods such as avocados, nuts and seeds. I eat those foods on a regular basis and recommend including them in most people’s diet.

Check out this video by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, author of, “Eat to Live”, and you’ll discover:

• Why a one-size-fits-all diet approach doesn’t necessarily work for everybody

• How in some cases a diet too low in fat can actually cause health issues

• Why we should start considering our MICRO-nutrients (vitamins and minerals, enzymes, antioxidants) just as much as our MACRO-nutrients (carbs, fats, proteins)

• In what instances taking individual supplement pills may actually increase your risk of getting sick

• How different types of fat impact your health in radically different ways

My answer to the question of “how much fat?” is: it depends. For most people on a plant-based diet, especially if weight loss is a goal, lowering fat content to 15% is a good target. And just like Dr. Fuhrman mentioned, more fat may be appropriate for active people who need more calories. If you’re an endurance athlete, it will be difficult to get all the calories you need from a 10% fat diet.

In practical terms, for many people it will mean restricting total fat intake to about half an avocado a day plus one ounce of nuts. More active people can have several ounces of nuts, or an entire avocado.

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