All fresh fruits, for example, contain between 0.5% and 1% unsaturated fat. Some fruits are higher in fat (particularly the “AVOCADO” which may be 15% to 22% fat). If fruits alone were consumed, we would still have no difficulty meeting the government suggestion that we make 1% of our diet unsaturated fats.
Nuts and seeds that are fresh, UNROASTED and UNSALTED are acceptable high-fat foods. If digestion permits, these should be eaten fresh in their whole state. If used as a nut butter or dressing, they should be made at home immediately before eating. All manufactured nut and seed butters, even those labeled as “raw,” undergo some degree of oxidation and become somewhat rancid.
When eaten, nuts and seeds should be masticated thoroughly. For ease of digestion, only a single variety of a nut or seed should be eaten at one meal. These high-fat foods combine best with leafy green vegetables and other non-starchy vegetables. They should not be eaten with starchy vegetables, fruits or avocados.
Coconuts, although rich in saturated fats, may be added to the diet in small quantities and also combined with leafy green vegetables. Coconuts should not be combined with fruits, as is sometimes done, to avoid fermentation of the fruits.
Avocados are another wholesome high-fat food. They are best eaten with non-starchy vegetables. The nutritive value of an avocado and nuts is quite similar; the avocado simply has a higher water content.
Although no specific amounts of these foods are recommended, it should be noted that many practitioners of Natural Hygiene suggest that no more that three to four ounces of nuts or seeds be eaten daily or no more than one avocado. The body appears to have difficulty in handling much larger amounts. Of course, this also means that one may certainly eat less than these amounts or no amount whatsoever. These are not recommendations for eating these foods daily, but suggestions that these foods should be consumed in limited amounts.
-Excerpted from the Life Science Course by T.C. Fry
Michael J. Loomis | Editor at Chew Digest | Scribe at Terrain Wiki