FATS make your HORMONES
Good hormonal health begins with your diet. Many women experience hormonal issues and are following a ‘healthy’ diet, but are afraid of eating fats… because fats make you fat, right?... WRONG. Fats do NOT make you fat. Fats are so important for our bodies to function.
Did you know our hormones are made from fat? You need ample dietary fat to maintain healthy hormones.
Your sex hormones are actually made from cholesterol. Yes you heard that right, Cholesterol.
Cholesterol has had a bad rap in the media, but it is SO important. It is the precursor for the synthesis of sex hormones, adrenal hormones and vitamin D.
Fats are satiating i.e. they make you feel fuller for longer. More so, the energy from fats lasts longer than carbs. Fats also help to balance blood glucose levels and insulin. Imbalanced blood glucose levels are a common issue in women with the hormonal condition PCOS.
Every cell in the human body is bound by a cell membrane. And guess what that cell membrane is made from..? Fat and cholesterol. Cell membranes are everywhere in the body. Having a good cell membrane structure allows for strong skin and gut barriers, and helps repair damaged skin and gut linings.
Fats help hydrate the skin and gut from the inside out! Cell membranes help communicate between different cells and are needed for our hormones to work. Our brains are also largely made of fat!!!
You can see now how fats are pretty important, not just for hormonal health but overall health?
It is important to remember that women (or menstruating people), have a higher need for fat than men. Women's bodies go through some incredible changes. As a result, we require more energy during menstruation, pregnancy and breastfeeding. Women also need a higher body fat percentage compared to men. Please don’t ever feel bad for adding more to your plate or eating more than your partner.
How to know if you’re not eating enough fats?
Your body is very clever, and if your body fat percentage drops too low, it knows that you are not in a state to reproduce and maintain the needs of a growing baby… so it shuts down ovulation and you may lose your period (AKA amenorrhea).
Including lots of healthy fats in your diet does not mean you have to go keto. It is still important to include some carbs to your diet. This will ensure you're eating enough to allow your body to ovulate. These include complex carbohydrates like a big diversity of seasonal vegetables, not the processed breads and packaged foods types of carbs.
By now, I hope you are starting to feel like fats can be your friend… you shouldn’t be afraid of fats like so many people I see in my clinic. Please know that it is OK to eat a full avocado in a day, and it is OK to add butter to things / EVERYTHING! In fact, it is more than OK, and I would encourage you to do so!! So what are the healthiest fats for happy hormones?
There are 3 types of dietary fats: unsaturated fats, saturated fats and trans fats.
The unsaturated fats include Mono and Polyunsaturated fats which contain our omega 3’s. Omega 3’s are super important for our hormones. There is evidence to show omega 3’s can help balance your hormones, regulate your menstrual cycle, and reduce stress hormonal levels (2).
Saturated fats: like cholesterol, saturated fat has got a bad name. But the research is inconsistent and there is evidence showing that it is not all bad (3). Saturated fats that are found in natural products like coconut oil and butter can be beneficial to our health, especially our hormones. It is the saturated fats in processed foods that are not so good for us (4).
Trans Fats: Trans Fats are the ones to avoid and are linked to poor health outcomes. These included; hydrogenated oils, margarine, fried foods, processed deli meats, processed baked goods, and canola oil.
FRIENDS DON’T LET FRIENDS EAT MARGARINE
Some of my favourite healthy fats to include into your diet:
Wild caught fatty fish- Salmon, sardines, tuna
Eggs
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Coconut Oil
Avocado
Ghee
Butter
Nuts and nut butters
Seeds- pumpkin, sesame, hemp, chia, flaxseed, sunflower
Seed butters - tahini.
By now your awareness about fats and how they work in your body should be well and truly expanded.
You are now educated to know that fats are not something to be afraid of and I encourage you to go smother some butter on your roast vegetables!
