Nutritionist argues children need more good fat in diet

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- This advice may be hard for some parents to swallow, but a well-known nutritionist is arguing that our kids need more fat.

Like many adults, many kids have a weight problem, which is why Dr. Jonny Bowden wants to feed them fat. But not just any fat, of course.

"We need an oil change is what we really need. We need to take out some of these, take out some of the corn oils and the safflower oils and soy bean oil and canola oil, which is highly processed oil that I wouldn't even have in my kitchen. And we need to replace it with things like coconut oil, Malaysian palm oil, avocado oil," Bowden said.

The author of "Smart Fat," Bowden thinks we should cut back on Omega-6 oils because we eat too much of them in our highly-processed diet. Instead, replace them with fats with function like Omega-3s.

"We know that Omega-3s they help with vision, they help with the tension. We know that every study that's ever been done on Attention Deficit Disorder always shows low Omega-3s. So we need to get them to eat more Omega-3s and less of the inflammatory Omega-6s," he said.

Instead of chicken nuggets, dip chicken in palm oil, roll in crushed almonds and bake. Serve with sliced sweet potatoes roasted in the same oil with a cinnamon sprinkle.

Make no-bake cookies with oats, honey, nut butter, coconut flakes and cocoa powder.

For lunch, try tuna salad with avocado, celery and avocado oil and riced cauliflower with palm oil and seasonings. And while this might sound scary, it's tasty: a yogurt granola parfait with an Omega-3 fat orange swirl topping.

Dietitian Rachel Beller points out these fats help absorb nutrients from produce. "Adding fat to kids' meals is not a bad idea. It's going to keep them full longer and maybe keep them away from overly processed snack foods," she said.

Bowden is also a fan of saturated fat by way of coconut oil, grass-fed ghee and butter.

Both experts are a fan of good fats but caution there will be no health benefits to adding good fat to a highly-processed diet.