By: Jason Lewis
Over the past several decades, dietary fats have been given a bad name, mostly because people do not want to be, well, fat. The result of this misguided thought process is that many people have looked to take as much fat as possible out of their diets in their quest to lose weight. But that way of thinking defies science.
The body needs a certain amount, and certain kinds, of fats for normal functions. And without the proper amount of dietary fat, the body tends to hold onto the fat that it already has, which most people are trying to get rid of. So people on a low-fat or no-fat diet are really working against themselves. It’s a weird concept, but dietary fat helps weight-loss programs.
A lot of the foods that we love, which are mostly manufactured and processed to a large degree, are filled with fats that the body doesn’t need in abundance, such as saturated and trans fats. But other foods that naturally have fat in them are great for the body. These foods are great for a healthy heart, as they are high in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats.
Below is a list of the healthy fats, which are essential for good health, and will help anybody on a weight-loss program:
Nuts are just awesome! It’s like the ultimate snack, because you can continually eat them. Because they are natural and very healthy, they are much better than popping M&Ms. They’re also more filling. Walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts are all great, and they can lower the chances of heart disease by lowering the amount of bad cholesterol.
The key with nuts as a snack is to eat them as natural as possible, which means eating them raw. The wasabi and soy sauce almonds sound extremely tempting, but the added sodium defeats the purpose of eating healthy.
Avocado is simply amazing! Everybody loves it, and everybody should be eating it, because it’s one of the world’s healthiest foods. Add it to salads and sandwiches to aid the body’s anti-inflammatory process, and it also lowers the risk of heart disease. Avocado is great to add to a healthy diet, as it helps meet the daily fat requirements while tasting great.
Stay away from the butter and margarine and cook with olive oil. Studies have shown that olive oil helps lower total cholesterol, and it helps to regulate insulin and blood sugar levels, which can reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes. Olive oil also promotes healthy blood pressure, as well as decreases the risk of breast cancer.
We all loved the stuff as a kid, but just like chocolate milk, must adults outgrew the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Reintroducing it into a diet can be a good thing, as it’s a quick and inexpensive snack and is filling enough to hold you over to your next meal.
Studies have shown that diets that include peanut butter can reduce the risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.
Besides a good dose of healthy fats, peanut butter also contains protein and fiber. In addition, it has a low amount of sugar, making it a very healthy snack.
Flaxseed oil doesn’t taste good, and it’s not supposed to be cooked with, so…bottoms up! Knocking out one tablespoon is probably the best way to take it, because putting it over food will just ruin the taste of the meal. This stuff might not taste good, but it’s really healthy, and is great for anybody who has cut out the fatty foods from their diet.
Flaxseed oil has a good balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which is healthy for the heart, and possesses healing effects. So go ahead and knock out a tablespoon. You’ll get used to the poor taste.