The title of my article is an oxymoron but if you think about it, it does make perfect sense and you don’t need nutritionists or scientists to tell you why you need to consume fats.
We need fats.
To simply put, we all need a certain amount of dietary fats for our body to function optimally. Whether you are healthy, overweight or underweight, your diet must comprise dietary fats in order to support cell growth, produce hormone production and help absorb nutrients into the body. Fats will only make you fat when you consume too much food which is high in ‘bad fats’ (like trans fats). Very often, such food sources also have little nutritional value.
Eat fat to burn fats.
Food that contains ‘good fats’ (like unsaturated fats), on the other hand, are often nutrient-dense and contain essential vitamins and minerals. Thus, it makes so much more sense to be eating whole foods which are already packed with so much goodness in it. Why eat butter when you can have avocado on your toast? Avocado is a good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin E and potassium. It also has contains a high amount of dietary fibre which can keep you feeling satisfied and fuller for a longer period of time. As such, consuming such foods with healthy fats can help curb your appetite and control your waistline in the long run. Ultimately, it is all about making the right food choices that would ultimately boost your health.
What are the good fats and where to find them?
The good fats we are talking about are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. It is found that food rich in monounsaturated fats can help improve cardiovascular health. Avocados, nuts and vegetable oils are great sources of monounsaturated fats.
Polyunsaturated fats are also beneficial for your heart. The primary sources of polyunsaturated fats are fatty fish and plant-based foods like Olives, flaxseeds and Sacha Inchi seeds. Sacha Inchi seeds, in particular, is pretty impressive among sources of healthy fats. It contains three types of polyunsaturated fats (omega 3, 6 and 9) and a good dose of vitamin E and A. There are very few plant-based foods that contain all three types of omega fatty acids.
Do you know that Sacha Inchi seeds contain way more Omega-3 fatty acids than Chia seeds and walnuts?
What are Sancha Inchi seeds?
You might have heard of flaxseed, grapeseed and olive oils but have you heard about Sacha Inchi oil? Sancha Inchi oil is probably one of the latest addition to the ‘family of superfoods’. Sacha Inchi in this star-shaped fruit which contains flat round seeds. This plant is native to South America and is found mainly in Peru. Today, it is cultivated commercially in Thailand and other parts of South-East Asia.
Sancha Inchi seeds can be made edible by roasting them. The roasted seeds often look like nuts. Oils can also be extracted from the seeds to be used as an ingredient in salads, smoothies or any other dishes.
How does Sancha Inchi oil taste?
Being a health enthusiast and foodie myself, I am always eager to try out the latest health foods in the market. But it seems like I was not up-to-date because Sancha Inchi oil has been already in the market for years. Farmgrocer, for instance, has been selling Organic cold-pressed Sancha Inchi oil since 2012.
The cold-pressed Sancha Inchi oil is formed by cold pressing the seeds and the flesh from the fruit at a temperature below 45-degree celsius so that the nutrients can be retained. Cold-pressed oils can also remain longer and fresher for a longer period of time.
I had the opportunity to try out Farmgrocer’s organic cold-pressed Sancha Inchi oil which comes in a 250-ml bottle. The oil itself is colourless and has a mild nutty taste to it. Due to its mild taste, you can easily incorporate into any dishes. I also find that the Sancha Inchi oil has a lower viscosity as compared to other plant-based oils.
How to enjoy Sancha Inchi oil?
Such cold-pressed oils should not be subjected to heat otherwise the nutrients will be destroyed in vain. Thus, it is best to enjoy them at room temperature. Currently, I add them in my salads, rice bowls, pastas and even smoothies. You can use it as a substitute for butter in vegan-friendly desserts.
Instead of eating weight-loss pills, why not turn to such plant-based oils which can be easily incorporated into your dishes? When you incorporate more of such superfoods into your diet, your waistline will naturally get smaller each day.
Farmgrocer’s Sacha Inchi oils cost $30 for a 250ml bottle and are available at NTUC Hypermart, NTUC Finest, NTUC Extra, Farmgrocer’s online store, Hock Hua Tonic stores and Redmart.
