Healthy Fats for Balanced Hormones
When you hear the word “fat”, what is your reaction?
For most of us, fat has a negative connotation, and that’s particularly true if you’ve struggled with your weight. So, it’s only natural to instinctively steer clear of foods that are known for being high in fat.
But if you’re doing that, you’re making a mistake, no matter what your goals are.
True, not all fats are created equally. There are “bad” fats you want to keep to a minimum, but there are also very good fats that are not only perfectly okay to eat, but you actually need them, even if you are trying to lose weight – and perhaps especially then!
Healthy fats for balanced hormones
The main reason you shouldn’t shun all fats is because they help balance our hormones.
As I mentioned in my Mediterranean Diet or Whole Food Plant-Based Diet? article, I’ve been working with a health coach. One of the first things she had me do was increase my intake of healthy fats.
Why?
Hormones are formed from fat and cholesterol, so your body can’t make them without fats.
They also help your body absorb fat-soluble vitamins like D, A, E and K.
Deficiencies in these nutrients can cause hormonal imbalances, and insufficient fat intake means your body can’t use these vitamins even if you’re eating plenty of them.
Now, we don’t want that, right?
A diet too low in fat reduces your body’s production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone, which can cause problems for women of any age, including insomnia, heart palpitations and night sweats.
Eating a healthy amount of good fats can raise your body’s production of serotonin, which is needed to regulate mood and enhance well-being. Couldn’t we all use a little more of that?
The whole food, plant-based diet and healthy fats
As part of my whole food, plant-based diet, I started avoiding oil. I’ve balanced that by raising my intake of healthy fats like nuts, seeds and avocados, but it appears I still wasn’t getting enough for my metabolism.
It’s only been 3 months (date of writing: January 25th, 2021) since I raised my healthy fat intake to about 20 percent, and I can already tell that my metabolism is working much more efficiently.
I’ve accomplished this largely by eating more extra-virgin olive oil and nut butter. Like all oils, this is something that the WFPB diet avoids because it’s highly processed, but olive oil is a far cry from, say, a package of Oreos. After all, the only ingredient is olives.
I’m not saying that following Dr Greger’s Daily Dozen and the teachings of Dr. Esselstyn is misguided. Their approach is amazing for health, and there is solid proof that it’s particularly beneficial to those with a history of heart disease who want to reverse it.
But for those of us without heart health problems, going above the 5 to 10 percent recommendation of Dr. Greger can really give your metabolism and hormone health a boost, especially for us women.
Of course, healthy fats aren’t the only thing that affects your hormone health, but they do play a very big role.
Will eating healthy fats make me fat?
Let me point you to a study published in the prestigious American Journal of Medicine entitled “Dietary fat is not a major determinant of body fat”.
The conclusion clearly states:
“Diets high in fat do not appear to be the primary cause of the high prevalence of excess body fat in our society, and reductions in fat will not be a solution.”
But a healthy weight and healthy eating aren’t one and the same.
When you eat fats, you really want to stick to the good ones as best as you can. If you do have unhealthy fats occasionally but you generally nourish your body with the right fuel, don’t sweat it – your body is smart enough to know how to get rid of the bad food efficiently.
But if you’re looking for balanced hormones and mood benefits, healthy fats are the way to go.
And just aim for around 20 to 25% – it’s still possible to get too much of a good thing!
Other benefits of healthy fats
We’re focusing on the hormone benefits today, but I want to briefly mention the other benefits of consuming healthy fats.
Here’s a quick rundown of what they can do:
Lower your blood pressure
Lower your levels of triglycerides, which are linked to heart disease
Fight inflammation
Prevent atherosclerosis (the narrowing and hardening of your arteries)
Lower your bad LDL cholesterol while raising good HDL cholesterol
Enhance brain health
Healthy vegan fats your body will love
In short, the healthiest fats are unsaturated. Here are some examples:
Avocados: Rich in monounsaturated fats, they’re tasty on their own, in a salad or sandwich, or added to a smoothie. I also use them to make sauces like pesto creamier.
Nuts: Nuts like walnuts are amazing snacks because they are rich in plant-based omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E, which your brain loves. with a history of heart disease
Seeds: Flax and chia seeds feature prominently in many of my recipes because they’re such a good source of healthy fat.
Extra-virgin olive oil: Use for dressing vegetables so your body can absorb their nutrients.
The “bad” fats are trans fats and saturated fats, which are mostly found in animal products like beef, cheese and highly processed and fast food.
Ultimately, you need some healthy fats to regulate hormones and mood and keep your metabolism working well if you want to reach your health and weight goals, so don’t be afraid of fat!