Although reducing the consumption of the wrong fats – particularly an excess of saturated fats, vegetable oils other than olive oil, and those fats known as trans-fatty acids – is a worthy goal, it’s not healthy to try to eliminate all from your diet. In fact, this can be downright dangerous to your overall health, your brain power, and the condition of your skin. Fat is one of the nutrients your body requires, along with proteins, carbohydrates, and vitamins. The building blocks of fats and oils are called fatty acids. There exists a group of these fatty acids, known as essential fatty acids (EFAs), which we can’t make in our bodies. We must get them from the foods we eat, such as pumpkin seeds, leafy vegetables and fish.
EFAs offer a variety of health benefits:
- Protect against heart disease.
- Protect against mental depression while preserving cognitive function.
- Lower blood pressure.
- Decrease the risk of blood clots.
- Lower the risk of colon, breast and prostate cancers.
- Reduce inflammation, especially of autoimmune diseases.
- Keep skin supple and wrinkle-free.
What foods rich in EFAs are you consuming on a regular basis?
Hello Dr. Perricone, thank you for all the great advice you provide to all every day. I truly enjoy reading your tweets and following you on Facebook as well. I have never tried the 28 day challenged, but will start it on May. Since I do not eat other animal protein except for fish and eggs, how can I adjust the plan? I really want to try this since I am a 5 year Breast Cancer survivor, and have learned that inflammation is a terrible thing in our bodies. Any advice would be greatly appreciated it. Thank you very much.
We recommend you swap in fish, eggs and tofu as protein options for the meals that include meat. For substitute recipe ideas, check out http://www.perriconerecipes.com.
Olive oil, avocados, fish, pumpkin seeds, leafy vegetables, nuts.
One of my co-workers told me that there are equal anotmus of cholesterol in both the white and the yolk. I told her that wasn’t true because the yolk is what has all the calories, fat, and cholesterol in it, so I’m doing a good thing by eating egg white omelettes, as opposed to regular ones that include the yolk. Or am I? Who’s right?
Hi. You are correct in that the yolk contains the cholesterol. However, Dr. Perricone recommends eating eggs in a 2 egg white to 1 yolk ratio for health benefits as the yolks contain nutrients and beneficial compounds such as carotenoids.