Yes, I might have been one of the last to see Julie and Julia, but thanks to Baby Day at the movies, I finally saw it! One major thing resonated with me…Julia Child used about a stick of butter on everything she made, ate lots and lots of fabulously rich food for every meal, and both she and her husband lived to be over 90! This movie has created a major revival of Child’s Mastering The Art of French Cooking
Fat is actually very good for you, as long as it’s the right kind of fat. Here are some examples of good fat:
- coconut oil
- olive oil
- butter
- ghee (clarified butter, which Julia Child always recommends)
Food sources of good fats:
- egg yolks
- avocado
- nuts
- flax seeds
One other thing to remember- vegetables should always be eaten with fat so your body can access the fat soluble vitamins they contain. In our house we always butter our broccoli, saute our kale in coconut oil, and drizzle olive oil on just about everything else!
Holly- I was thinking the same thing when I saw how long Julia Child lived. Thanks for reminding us how important it is to eat real food. Question- shouldn’t I still drink fat-free milk and eat fat-free yogurt?
Glad you asked Jenn! Even with dairy I say eat everything in the most natural and whole state possible, which means whole milk, whole milk yogurt, NEVER FAT-FREE or 2% ANYTHING!!! Your body needs the fat to process all of the vitamins/minerals/micronutrients/etc., in the milk. Take it one step further and look for milk that is non-homogenized. This is not the same as un-pastuerized, or raw milk. This is non-homogenized, meaning the milk proteins are still in their natural, unadulterated state, and your body recognizes them and knows how to use them! The cream will rise to the top. Yum!
Yum, I love milk and butter. Thanks for the post!
I missed this post back in September but I have been thinking about this whole fat/ whole food topic lately as I’m ending the year 10 pounds lighter than when I started (though I also stopped nursing this year). I feel like I’ve ignored every diet ‘trick’ I followed before I was a mom and I am consistently shocked by the results. I realized I have not eaten any processed food in two years and I have to assume that has contributed to my weight loss. Since my daughter started eating solids I’ve been trying to make foods we can all eat and rather than make a ‘low-fat’ version I’ve been ‘giving in’ to more full fat meals. Who would have thought?!