I’m not talking about just any ole fatty foods, aka. McDonalds, Taco Bell, KFC…come on…let’s be real, if eating refined fatty fast foods made you lose weight, do you think our country would be seeing incidences of obesity and diabetics in epidemic proportions?

The fat I’m talking about is good healthy fats and it’s in combination with good balanced ratios of protein and carbs.  High quality proteins and mainly fresh vegetables and fruits for your carbs.  Remember staying away from refined carbs and sugars is a must if you want to lose weight and get a lean healthy body!

But the reason I wanted to talk about fat, is that it’s often seen as an after thought…almost like the red headed step child.  When you clean your diet up and start playing around with your macronutrients, protein and carbs get the most attention.  Not surprising since protein helps you build lean muscle and restricting carbs by eating the right types of foods helps you burn fat and lose weight.  But what about fat?  See what I mean? What the heck does fat do?

Well for starters fat provides the energy necessary to run all of your vital biochemical processes so you can live!  Fat boosts your immune system to protect you from harmful diseases and it provides structural integrity so you can have healthy joints, skin, hair and nails.  And when you’re on a lower carb diet, consuming ample amounts of fat satisfies your hunger and keeps you from feeling deprived.  Needless to say, fat is super important.  And getting enough fat in your diet is key to a healthy, strong and lean body!

You probably already know that eating foods like nuts (exception of peanuts) and seeds provide you with good healthy fats.  And they do…but some people can’t tolerate them due to allergies, and they’re also relatively high in Omega 6 fatty acids (inflammatory in nature) vs. Omega 3 fatty acids (anti-inflammatory in nature).  Which is why “coconuts” - that’s right “coconuts” aren’t just for pina coladas and scents of suntan lotions - have been my “go-to” source for healthy fats for sometime now.

Now in order to explain the benefits of coconuts I have to geek out and give you a little scientific background, so bare with me.

Dietary fats are composed of a chemical structure known as triglycerides.  Technically speaking triglycerides is a combination of glycerol and 3 fatty acid chains.  Most naturally occurring dietary fats are made up of long fatty acid chains.  The length of these fatty acid chains dictate the way our body metabolizes fat.  And this is where coconuts have a healthy advantage.  Coconuts, unlike most naturally occurring dietary fats, are made up of medium chain fatty acids (not long chain fatty acids).  The medium chain fatty acids actually act more like carbohydrates than fats, so they’re more water soluble, easily digested and it’s immediately utilized by liver for immediate energy use.  Much like the way sugar is metabolized without the unwanted insulin spike, so you don’t have to worry about unwanted fat deposits.

There’s even been studies that indicate consuming coconuts can increase rate of fat burning and help prevent fat accumulation!  Talk about literally, eating fat to lose fat!

Coconuts are also one of the most stable forms of saturated fats, so it doesn’t get oxidized very easily, which makes it great for cooking in high heat.  Although olive oil is by far the most popular cooking oil, it can’t handle high heat, so it’s best to use olive oil for cooking with low to medium heat instead.  Coconut oil is your best choice for cooking!

Lately coconuts have become somewhat trendy, but that’s a good thing because it means you can pick up coconut oil or other coconut products pretty much anywhere.  Coconuts comes in many different forms, like coconut oil, coconut milk, coconut cream, coconut butter, coconut flakes, coconut chips…they even make coconut flour for people that want to bake gluten free.

The great thing is getting healthy fats has never been easier, so you have no excuse for not getting enough healthy fats in your diet.  And if you’re tired of eating nuts and seeds and want to try something different - next time you’re picking up groceries - try coconuts.

Here’s three of my favorite coconut products:

 * Extra virgin 100% orgainc coconut oil for cooking
 * Orgainc coconut milk for my protein shakes
 * Organic coconut cream for my morning coffee

Yes, I admit it…I’m addicted to my morning java, but it’s not the worst thing in the world : )  Plus a little indulgence goes a long way in keeping an overall healthy lifestyle!