Fats, yay or nay?

ldrosophila
ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Curious, when you see that for a tablespoon of say walnut oil (high in essential fatty acids 8.6g PUFA), but it has 120 calories in it does that cause you to rethink if you should add that into your diet? Would it be better or worse to add those calories into your diet? Would you choose a serving of chicken breast or the oil? Say you knew that by eating that oil it would put you over your calories would you abstain or would you say you know what I can afford the addition of vitamin E and heart saving oil.

Just curious there is no right or wrong answer.
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Replies

  • linsey0689
    linsey0689 Posts: 753 Member
    Not really sure what walnut oil is but I wanted to share with you what a calories is.....

    1 gram of carbs = 4 calories
    1 gram of protein = 4 calories
    1 gram of fat = 9 calories

    A lot of people who are dieting don't really know what a calories is so I thought I would explain. But me personal I would do the chicken breast because 1 tablespoon of oil would not fill me up what so ever and 120 calories of chicken breast I am guessing about 4-5oz would.

    Best of luck to you :)
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    Well, I wouldn't just shoot the oil, so I guess you are asking if I would choose an extra chicken breast, instead of cooking with oil?

    It would depend on what else I had eaten. I don't cook with oil much because I love to eat nuts. However, some days I don't get my nuts in, so I make my Pad Thai with sesame oil.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    I would still use the oil but maybe cut it down to a 1/2 tablespoon. Fats are good for you - good for skin/hair, help with vitamin absorption, etc. And they have the same (or similar) satiating effect as proteins.

    I could eat a salad with just veggies and fat free vinagrette and I'll be starving in an hour. Or I could eat that same salad with a full fat dressing (like parmesan peppercorn - yum!) and be totally satisfied.
  • beanerific518
    beanerific518 Posts: 152
    I try to get fat, protein and complex carbohydrates in each meal. So yeah, bring on the fat (just not the trans fat).
  • booyainyoface
    booyainyoface Posts: 409 Member
    fat is good... it makes you feel full too. if you don't eat too many grains you will need to add fats to meet your calorie needs. i am grain free and use a lot of fat in my cooking so i can meet my daily calorie needs. also for me, fat tastes good (i use bacon fat, coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil, and macadamia nut oil) so i am more satisfied with the taste of my food.
  • janvcooper
    janvcooper Posts: 86 Member
    I am on maintenance and can't believe how much happier I am with my intake when I include reasonable amounts of butter, olive oil, peanut butter, avocado--they keep me full and I feel great! I did weightwatchers for a couple of years and my hair was falling out and I was hungry a lot of the time. Fat can be your friend!
  • Arkhos
    Arkhos Posts: 290 Member
    Hmmm, interesting question... would you take something that has other health benefits IF it adds calories to your diet. If I KNEW that it had major health benefits that I could not get in other foods (like a chicken breast), I think I would take the oil/vitamin/supplement despite the supposed calories. In fact, I would ignore the calories on it (as long as it was a small amount like under 150). I guess that could be cheating, but cheating to add more health benefits for your body to process I think is a good thing.

    Now if you're eating something like peanut butter than I would log it and count it towards my daily because there's other things in the PB (which is what I'm doing).

    In fact you should log the oil just to keep track and see how your overall weight loss changes. If the added oil is the only change and you gain weight then stop using it.
  • TrishLG
    TrishLG Posts: 173 Member
    I would say pass on the oil. Eat the walnuts, olives, avacado, or the chicken breast. I would probably choose in that order. Oil, as mother nature intends, keeps you full longer and the fiber from the plants keeps it all moving through and out.
    Personally, if I buy almonds, walnuts, whatever, they are gone in two days and I end up gaining weight. No discipline.
  • Cr01502
    Cr01502 Posts: 3,614 Member
    I'm at maintenance so if my macros on fat are low that day and I the walnut oil will cause me to go over my calories by a hundred or so . . . .

    The walnut oil it is.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    Many nutrients are fat soluble, you can eat all the nutricious foods you like but if you don't have fat in your foods, you will not absorb it. It is VERY important to include fat in your diet.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    why must you choose? fat is not bad for you. it's the opposite. your body needs fat. without sufficient fat intake I find it difficult to recover from workouts. and i'm talking about about high amounts of animal based saturated fats. something like walnut oil or olive oil isn't something to even give a second thought about.

    have the oil and the chicken breast.
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
    My daily eating is more than 60% fat, so I would choose both.

    In order of the way I eat.............Fat, then protein and lastly carbs.
  • Bronx_Montgomery
    Bronx_Montgomery Posts: 2,284 Member
    Fat has many roles in the body:

    It helps to protect your organs
    It helps to absorb vitamins
    It helps with hormone production

    Side Effects Of Reducing Fats ///

    When you remove or lower fat in the body you may notice slower brain function – which may cause you to become a little forgetful.

    Normal side effects are:

    Forgetfulness
    Can't sleep at night
    Irritability
  • BaconMD
    BaconMD Posts: 1,165 Member
    Not really sure what walnut oil is
    It is oil, taken from walnuts.

    You are welcome.
  • fishgutzy
    fishgutzy Posts: 2,807 Member
    I add oil to my protein shake to get my fat calories up. I also use whole milk. On the scrambled eggs with sausage and cheese day I don't have to.
    The brain needs fat to function properly. It is no accident that the sale of anti-depressants have risen as the government pushed for reduction is fat intake.
    My target is 55% of my calories from fat. Should be higher than that.
    I am trying hemp oil now. Also have pork belly fat to add to cooking, as well as lard and coconut oil.
    All of my "heart health" indicators are vastly improved doing this.
  • fishgutzy
    fishgutzy Posts: 2,807 Member
    If corn oil comes from squeezing corn, and walnut oil comes from squeezing walnuts, and almond oil comes from squeezing almonds, does that mean baby oil comes from squeezing babies?:bigsmile:
  • djtessatessa
    djtessatessa Posts: 54 Member
    I use oil, just significantly less than is a "serving"

    Just because a serving is 1 Tbsp doesn't mean you can't use 1 tsp (or even half a lot of the time) instead.

    I was once a butter queen (butter, lots of it, in EVERYTHING) and I found reducing the amount of butter/oil I use when I cook really hasn't reduced any flavour. In fact I think it benefits my cooking as I rely on herbs, fruit and spice to add flavour and complexity to my dishes rather than straight up fat.
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    Yay. It's important for hormonal regulation and stuff. I eat tons of flax and some olive oil here and there.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    If corn oil comes from squeezing corn, and walnut oil comes from squeezing walnuts, and almond oil comes from squeezing almonds, does that mean baby oil comes from squeezing babies?:bigsmile:

    LOL I feel sorry for the guy who has to make motor oil or snake oil, ouch!
  • ppar73
    ppar73 Posts: 6
    It really does depend on the fat; choose fats such as olive oil or another unsaturated fat and never any trans fats...watch cereals and breads for this one (always read your labels). I agree with most people that say yes go for the fat because there are certain fats your body needs like Omega 3's and 9's (stay away from 6's we get plenty of these) Salmon, tuna and other fish are good 1 to 2 times per week. As I stated earlier olive oil (extra virgin) and yes even on occasion butter is good..and yummy too. Now if it's a choice between that chicken breast and a bag of chips then chicken breast all the way. make sure your diet is scientifically balanced and you should stay on track.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Not really sure what walnut oil is
    It is oil, taken from walnuts.

    You are welcome.

    hospital_zps55cd5e27.jpg
  • TrishLG
    TrishLG Posts: 173 Member
    Animal fats will clog the arteries. You do not have to be fat to have high colesterol and clogged arteries.
    Better than olive oils is olives. Just as Mother Nature intended.
    Olive oil is the only oil that brings down the bad LDL and raises the good HDL. Other veg oils bring down both.
    Animal fats lower the good HDL and raise the bad LDL
    Thin people are not more stupid than fat people, so losing fat does not diminish brain capacity.
    Animal fat clogging the arteries will decrease oxygen to the brain and that will kill brain cells and make you stupid.
    Some fat people do not have high colesterol, but you should know your numbers.
    LDL
    HDL
    BP
    One interesting study said that decaf coffee increases colesterol, so stick to high test!
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
    lol I read the title as "Farts"...and I giggled.
    I am sooooo 5 years old sometimes.
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
    As for "FATS", I don't really track them much. I eat what I eat in a day and don't try to eat lower fat, nor do I add any in just to eat more fats.
  • Peanutbutterx
    Peanutbutterx Posts: 332
    good fats are important! some vitamins are fat soluble - vitamins A, D, E and K .. good fats like olive oil and nuts and some animal fat is important for your health so that you can absorb vitamins :) so they are worth the calories saturated fat from fried food and sugars = not worth the calories even through deep fried oreos are delicious..
  • LeenaRuns
    LeenaRuns Posts: 1,309 Member
    Depends on if I need more protein or more fat for the day to hit my macros. I'm all about the fat (50% intake)
  • moustache_flavored_lube
    moustache_flavored_lube Posts: 849 Member
    When I am actively cutting I tend to not choose calories from sources like oil. When I am maintaining I am more likely to eat healthy fats
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    as long as i'm still getting all my protein and i'm hitting my calorie target it's all good.
  • Lalouse
    Lalouse Posts: 221 Member
    I don't know about walnut oil, but olive oil is around the same in terms of calories (120 or so per tablespoon) and I eat plenty of that. Healthy fats help keep you feeling full and will put off sweet/carb cravings. I wouldn't eat a tablespoon of oil over a piece of chicken, but I'd probably cook the chicken in some yummy olive oil :)
  • carrieous
    carrieous Posts: 1,024 Member
    i really only pay attention to calories and sugars. Fat is essential for skin and nerves

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