Joel Fuhrman - Eat To Live

Eat to Live 131

not just omega-3 fat. Raw sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, corn,

olives, and avocados are healthy, but their extracted oils may not be.

Even cold-pressed oils are subject to the damaging effects of heat and

contain lipid peroxides. So I usually recommend to my patients that

instead of consuming the oils, they consume a tablespoon of ground

flaxseed daily, or some walnuts, to ensure adequate omega-3 fat in-

take.

Remember, when you extract the oil from the whole food it was

packaged in, you remove it from its antioxidant- and phytochemical-

rich protective environment. You turn a moderate nutrient-to-calorie

food into a low nutrient-to-calorie food, and at the same time dam-

age the quality of the fat with heat. Romaine lettuce, kale, collards,

and Swiss chard are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals,

vegetable protein, and essential fats — again, another reason I con-

sider leafy green vegetables the king of all foods.

Your diet should not be fat-free. Indeed, it would be nearly impossi-

ble to make this diet fat-deficient, because even green vegetables and

beans contain beneficial fats. The focus should be on reducing (or re-

moving) the harmful and processed fats, and instead consuming the

healthy fats that are naturally contained in whole natural foods.

Nonprocessed fats contained in avocados, sunflower seeds, and al-

monds, to name just a couple of sources, can be healthy additions

to a wholesome diet of natural foods. Even though these foods

have lots of calories, they pack a significant nutritive punch; they

are rich in vitamin E and other antioxidants and are not nutrient-

depleted the way the oil is when it is extracted, processed, and put in

a bottle.

Be aware, however, that unless you are physically very active

and slim, you should watch the amount of these relatively fat-rich

plant products, as they obviously will interfere with reaching your

ideal weight. If you are slim and exercise regularly, you can consume

three to four ounces of raw nuts or seeds daily, an avocado, or a lit-

tle olive oil. Growing children, or an individual who is having diffi-

culty gaining weight, can eat a little more dietary fat, but it still

should mostly be fat from the wholesome foods described above.

When you are overweight, you have a good store of fat on your

body, so you don't need to worry about not ingesting enough fat.

You are not going to become fat-deficient, even if your diet is low in

fat. As you lose weight, you will actually be on a "high-fat diet," as

you will be utilizing the fat you have around your midsection for en-

ergy. The only concern is to maintain a healthy fatty acid ratio, so I