How healthy is it to have fats?

For decades, grains and other high carbohydrate foods formed the base of the food pyramid and the foundation for a “healthy diet”.  All the while, fats were demonized.  

Unfortunately, these recommendations couldn’t be further from the ideal path to a flat belly.  A diet high in wheat and other grain products inevitably leads to high blood sugar and poor sensitivity to the hormone insulin.  In turn, poor insulin sensitivity has been shown to be a major cause of abdominal fat accumulation.  Even worse, the more abdominal fat you gain, the worse your insulin sensitivity becomes… and thus the vicious cycle repeats, often leading to out-of-control belly fat storage over time.

Fats, on the other hand, are instrumental in the regulation of your overall hormonal balance, including many fat-burning hormones.  When you understand how to choose the right fats, replacing high-carb items in your diet such as bread, bagels, muffins, baked goods, and pasta with more of these fat-burning, healthful "fatty foods", you’ll be well on your way to a flatter belly.

Here are 7 of our top "fatty foods" for a flat belly: Whole Eggs, Nuts (such as almonds, pecans, walnuts, and cashews), Seeds (such as sunflower seeds and flaxseeds), Avocado, Olive Oil, Fatty Fish (for example, mackerel, tuna, salmon, and trout), and Coconut Oil.

All of these "fattening" foods help to improve your overall fat-burning hormone balance, satiety and feelings of fullness after a meal, and also possess an array of other unique fat-burning and health benefits. 

For example, egg yolks are loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants (making the myth about only eating egg whites for a flat belly completely false); avocados and olive oil are rich in heart-healthy, health-boosting fatty acids; many species of fish are a great source of inflammation-reducing omega-3s; and coconut oil is a prime source of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), well known for their appetite regulation, energy, and immune benefits.

What are fats?

Although fats have received a bad reputation for causing weight gain, some fat is essential for survival. According to the Dietary Reference Intakes published by the USDA, 20% - 35% of calories should come from fat. We need this amount of fat for:
Body to use vitamins: Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble vitamins, meaning that the fat in foods helps the intestines absorb these vitamins into the body.Brain development: Fat provides the structural components not only of cell membranes in the brain, but also of myelin, the fatty insulating sheath that surrounds each nerve fiber, enabling it to carry messages faster.
Energy: Gram for gram, fats is the most efficient source of food energy. Each gram of fat provides nine calories of energy for the body, compared with four calories per gram each of carbohydrates and proteins.
Healthier skin: One of the more obvious signs of fatty acid deficiency is dry, flaky skin. In addition to giving skin its rounded appeal, the layer of fat just beneath the skin acts as the body's own insulation to help regulate body temperature.
Healthy cells: Fats are a vital part of the membrane that surrounds each cell of the body. Without a healthy cell membrane, the rest of the cells can't function.Making hormones: Fats are structural components of some of the most important substances in the body, including hormones that regulate many of the body's functions. Fats regulate the production of sex hormones, which explains why some teenage girls who are too lean experience delayed pubertal development.
Pleasure: Besides being a nutritious energy source, fat adds to the appealing taste, texture and appearance of food. Fats carry flavor.
Protective cushion for our organs: Many of the vital organs, especially the kidneys, heart, and intestines are cushioned by fat that helps protect them from injury and hold them in place.