Fat will not make you fat.

For too many years we have been fearful of fat. Up until a couple of years ago I too tried to keep fat to a minimum with the idea that using more fat might result in weight gain or poorer health.

I now know and eat otherwise. Despite a significant increases in my fat intake, my weight remains stable and my health is just fine.
Note: by no means am I saying one should just eat as a much as they can. Being attuned to one’s appetite will prevent over-eating fat and having enough fat in your diet allows one to be better attuned to their appetite!

So why is it important to have enough fat in our diets.

Fat makes food taste good – it brings out flavour in food. When we the taste of food truly satisfies, we are actually less likely to over-eat.

Fat gives food a wonderful mouthfeel – think chocolate or cheese.

Fat actually helps us feel full. In particular food very high in monounsaturated fats such as olive oil, avocado and some nuts signal fullness in our gut and helps prevent us from over-eating.

So don’t be afraid to add extra dressing, nuts, seeds, avocado and cheese to your salad or veggies.

Don’t be afraid to add cream or cheese to your pasta dish.

Cook liberally with healthy fats such as extra virgin olive oil and enjoy butter, cream and cheese when the dish calls for it.

And… remember too much or too little of anything is what can lead to health issues.