What on Earth Are Fat Bombs OR How to Stop Sugar Cravings!

As we discover more and more food and nutrition science, we discover that the medical "mantras" we are indoctrinated with may not be correct.  For instance did you know that fat doesn't make you fat?  Actually those heavy complex carbohydrates, made from processed foods, and often used as 'fillers' for our recipes, are the ones that make us fat.  So we need to develop new 'mantras' to override our memory banks and keep us on the right path.  New 'mantra' Good Fats Don't Make You Fat!

So first question is, what are good fats?  Here again, we have been fooled by the commercial food industry into thinking that 'vegetable' oils are good cooking oils.  This is far from true!   Actually the classification of vegetable oils originated with corn oil and has added to its numbers soy, rapeseed (which is soy), palm, canola (which is soy); and then to add injury to insult they infuse them with oxygen molecules in order to make them last a long time on the grocery shelf.  They were originally dubbed the label "hydrogenated" oils which we were told to stay away from, but have since removed that label.  Oxygen infused oils carry large free radicals released into our bodies, which are very inflammatory and lead to disease.  Most commercial foods use these oils in their products, like chips, cookies, pastries and other baked goods; so that they become hidden but deadly ingredients for our long-term health.  Combine bad fats with sugar as in pastries, and you have a recipe for cholesterol, heart disease, and an accumulation of adipose tissue around your middle.  Buyer beware, even olive oils (which are generally good oils) can be infused with oxygen for longer shelf life, so know your good brands and sources.    With this in mind, other sources of bad fats are: commercial mayo, processed foods like hot dogs & the rolls, packaged snack foods, fast foods, commercial condiments & salad dressings, desserts, candy and nutrition bars.  Any items that would be made with oils in the preparation process.

Now, what ARE the good fats?  Good fats are cold pressed extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, cold pressed flaxseed oil, walnut oil,  MCT oil.  Other good fat foods are olives, avocados, nut butters like almond, cashew, macadamia, grass fed butter, ghee, coconut butter and yogurt, almonds and the other nuts (except for peanuts because of the fungus they are prone to in the growing process) and grass fed dairy for those who do not have lactose intolerance, like yogurts and cheeses.  When it comes to cooking, use coconut or avocado oils as their able to withstand high heating temperatures.  The rest of the oils can be used for baking or raw applications like condiments and dressings.   If you have an issue with diabetes, cholesterol, heart problems and obesity to name a few, you want to be very aware of where you are getting bad fats in your foods.  Changing this one eating habit can help improve or at lease stabilize your test scores in those instances.  If you don't have any of those issues, changing this one eating habit can go a long way in keeping you healthy and give you longevity. 

Now that we have that educational piece in front of us, let's talk about sugar cravings and how fats play a role in their demise.  In the blog archives for March 2018 we discussed how fat and sugar are the body's fuel sources and that the way we eat tends to lead us toward burning sugar (or glucose) for fuel.  Overindulgence in these areas are a direct factor in our aging immune decline.  With the introduction of Ketogenic Diet practices from the science based discovery that we have a cleaner alternative in steering our bodies to eat good fats, we now know that we have an alternative.  I am more considerate of a modified keto diet which includes good anti-inflammatory carbohydrates, a topic for another day.  By eliminating the carbohydrates at breakfast, and including vegetables with your protein and good fat choices, you trigger your body to burn fat instead of glucose.  Over time, this helps to eliminate those cravings for the bad fat snacks and fast foods.  Though this can take some time to evolve, there are ways to reduce those cravings while you're making the switch.
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Enter - Fat Bombs! 
When you are trying to transition your eating habits from carb based to more protein based, good fats are your allies.  When your body is signaling you with cravings that it wants more sugar, which translates into energy; feed it a small amount of good fat instead.  It will curb the craving and give you a shot of energy that will last much longer and be more sustained than the sugar spike and sudden drop of a typical sugar buzz.  There are many recipes out there for 'fat bombs' - little snacks of good fat and protein-based finger food that you can pop into your mouth and enjoy while you're gaining energy.   We did a fun experiment one night at herbal school when we had a demonstration party for non-preservative body care products.  Everyone's assignment was to bring a plate of their favorite fat bombs so we could all try them.  Instead of the late night slow down, we were all so wired from the energy that we chattered on late into the evening and had no problem finding help cleaning up.  It's truly that noticeable. 

Fat bombs can be as simple as a teaspoonful of coconut oil or as complex as homemade nut butter cups; and no, they did not have any sugar in them.  A square of two of 70% or more cacao can be as good as a dairy based recipe that tastes just like ice cream but isn't.  (see recipe section below).  You can make chocolate mousse with good chocolate and an avocado.   Sound crazy?  Try this:
Using avocado instead of egg or cream provides the same creaminess with the added benefit of good fats, folate and carotenoids.  Skeptical combining non-traditional foods together?  You would be amazed at how there is absolutely NO avocado flavor, just great chocolate.  There is a new world of cooking and food combining that keto cooking has opened up to us, so explore the web for great recipes!

Chocolate Mousse Recipe
2 large ripe avocados
1/2 cup cocoa or cacao powder unsweetened
1/2 cup coconut cream
1/2 cup powdered sweetener (monk fruit, stevia, others)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
Pinch nutmeg
Pinch of sea salt

1.) Put all ingredients in a food processor or blender.
2.) Blend until you have a really smooth mousse.
It's that easy!
AND it's that easy to start eating healthier, feeling better and still being able to enjoy your food.   Remember Fat Doesn't Make You Fat!

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