🥥 The Metabolic Health Series — Part IV: The Fat Guide

ketogenicfasting
Mar 27
3 min read

Updated: Mar 27

Which fats support your body—and which ones don’t

Why Fat Quality Matters

On a ketogenic approach, fat becomes your primary source of energy.

So the question is not just:

👉 Are you eating fat?

It’s:

👉 What kind of fat are you eating?

Because your body responds very differently depending on:

How the fat is sourced
How it’s processed
How stable it is

Not All Fats Are the Same

Some fats:

Support stable energy
Are easily recognized by the body
Have been part of traditional diets for generations

Others:

Are heavily processed
Chemically altered
Less compatible with how the body functions

The Three Main Categories of Fats

To keep things simple, think of fats in three groups:

✅ 1. Core Fats (Your Foundation)

These should make up the majority of your fat intake.

🧈 Traditional Animal Fats

Butter
Ghee
Tallow
Lard
Bacon grease

✔ Stable for cooking

✔ Naturally occurring

✔ Long history of use

🫒 Monounsaturated Fats

Extra virgin olive oil
Avocados

✔ Support metabolic health

✔ Naturally derived

🥛 Cultured Dairy Fats

Heavy cream
Cultured cream

✔ Rich and satisfying

✔ Align with traditional preparation

🥥 2. Functional Fats (Useful Tools)

These can support ketosis more directly.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is rich in medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs).

These fats:

Are absorbed quickly
Go directly to the liver
Are easily converted into ketones

👉 This means coconut oil can help support ketone production.

✔ Best choice:

Virgin or extra virgin
Minimally processed

MCT Oil

A concentrated form of MCTs
Rapidly increases ketone levels
Useful in small amounts

👉 Think of it as a targeted tool, not a staple food.

⚖️ 3. Conditional Fats (Quality Matters)

Palm Oil (Fruit-Derived)

Keto-friendly
Relatively stable

✔ Acceptable if:

Minimally processed
Responsibly sourced

⚠️ Less ideal if:

Highly refined
Found in packaged foods

❌ 4. Fats to Avoid

Palm Kernel Oil (Seed-Derived)

Common in processed foods
Typically highly refined

👉 Keto-friendly on paper—but not aligned with real food principles.

Industrial Seed Oils

Canola oil
Soybean oil
Corn oil
Safflower oil
Grapeseed Oil

These are:

Chemically processed
Easily oxidized
Widely used in packaged foods

👉 These form the backbone of many “fake keto” products.

A Simple Way to Decide

Instead of asking:

👉 “Is this keto?”

Ask:

👉 “Is this a real, minimally processed fat?”

What This Looks Like in Practice

A well-built approach to fats includes:

Cooking with butter, tallow or lard
Using olive oil for finishing
Incorporating cream and cultured dairy
Using coconut oil when appropriate

And avoiding:

Packaged fats
Industrial oils
Highly processed ingredients

Chef Janine Perspective

Fat should not be:

Industrial
Hidden behind long ingredient lists
Chemically altered

It should be:

Recognizable
Traditional
Intentionally chosen

Because when fat quality is right:

Energy becomes more stable
Satiety improves
Meals feel complete

The Key Takeaway

👉 Keto success depends less on how much fat you eat—and more on the quality of that fat.

Bringing It All Together

At this point, the picture is clear:

Your body responds to how food is structured
Not all keto approaches are equal
Metabolic health requires awareness
Fat quality plays a central role

Final Thought

Keto is not about:

Eating more fat
Following strict rules
Chasing numbers

It’s about:

👉 Choosing the right foods so your body can function the way it was designed to.

What Comes Next

Food is only part of the equation.

How often you eat—and how long your body spends in a fed versus fasted state—also plays a major role in metabolic health.

👉 Part V — Intermittent Fasting