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What are Healthy Fats
You might have heard that fat is bad, we were told to get rid of it in our diets whenever possible. We opted for low-fat diets, but this didn’t make us healthier. Most likely we cut back on healthy fats along with bad ones.
But wait, Fat is a major source of energy. Your body needs fat for the intake of some minerals and vitamins, vital for blood clotting, inflammation, and movement of muscles.
Fat is required to make cell membranes, and the sheaths surrounding nerves in the body. Some fats are better than others.
Good fats include monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Bad ones include industrial-made trans fats. Saturated fats fall somewhere in the middle.
Vegetables, seeds, nuts, and fish are the main sources of good fats.
Here is a list of super heart-healthy fat foods
Avocado
Avocados contain omega-3s fat, which is good for your heart and also helps with osteoarthritis symptoms. Plus, avocados help your body to better absorb nutrients from food when eating together with avocado. Half a medium avocado in one serving contains about 115-160 calories.
Seeds
Sunflowers seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and a few more, all have good fats that can lower cholesterol. Generally, fats from plants are healthier than those from animal products. Fatty cuts of meat, full-fat dairy products, and some packs of foods are “Bad” to avoid it. Nutrition labels provide you with the type and quantity of fats you are getting. Avoid trans fats.
Fatty Fish
Fish like mackerel, herring, sardines, trouts, and salmon are considered to be healthy. These fish are packed with omega-3 fatty acids — a heart-healthy fat.
Studies revealed that people who eat fish tend to be much healthier, with a lower risk of heart disease, depression, dementia, and all sorts of common diseases [2]
Nuts
Nuts are good for your heart, ranging from hazelnuts to pecans. Walnuts, deliver heart-healthy fats. nuts must be taken in the right quantities. Do not overdo it, a serving is one ounce. That is almost 14 walnut halves, 24 almonds, 15 pecan halves, 18 cashews, or 35 peanuts.
Olive Oil
Olive oil is good whether you are cooking or dressing your salads. It contains high heart-healthy fats. it is always good to watch how much fat, even good fat, you eat. Use less oil while cooking. Use applesauce for half the oil to reduce fat and shave calories in baking.
Vegetables
Our body cannot make omega-3s — healthy fats. therefore, there is a need to get them from food. Dark green vegetables like kale, Brussels sprouts, and spinach are rich in omega 3 fatty acids. Get fish in your diet because plants only offer a small fraction of omega-3 fat that fish do. Fish have different kinds of omega 3s.
Whole Eggs
Whole eggs were regarded as bad due to the fact that the yolks are high in cholesterol and fat.
An egg carries 212 mg of cholesterol, that’s 71% of everyday consumption. Plus, 62% of the energy in whole eggs is from fat.
however, new recent research has proven that cholesterol in eggs has no effect on the cholesterol in the blood, at least not in every people.
What we are left with is one of the most nutrient-dense food on earth.
Whole eggs are really loaded with vitamins and minerals. A single egg contains a bit of all the essential nutrients that you need every day.
Ground Flaxseed
Healthy fats make your skin look younger and plumper. Add fiber and also help to ease inflammation. Sprinkling a teaspoon of ground flaxseed on your cereal and salad, or use it when you are baking.
Beans
For your mental and physical growth, beans play a greater role. Whether they are great northern, soybeans, navy beans, or kidney, beans have omega 3s.
Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids can help prevent and as well treat heart disease and stroke. In addition to reducing blood pressure, raising HDL, and lowering triglycerides, polyunsaturated fats may help prevent lethal heart rhythms from arising. Evidence also suggests they may help reduce the need for corticosteroid medications in people with rheumatoid arthritis.
Sources: unhydrogenated soybean oil, walnuts, flaxseeds, canola oil, and fatty fish such as sardines, mackerel, and salmon.
Omega-6 fatty acids are also associated with the prevention of heart disease.
Sources: vegetable oils such as safflower, soybean, sunflower, walnut, and corn oils. [2]
