The word “FAT” has a terrible connotation to most of us. Fat usually represents overweight, unhealthy and unattractive. However there is a very big difference between GOOD fat and BAD fat. Good fat is essential to our weight, our beauty, our brain health, our general health, our happiness and our vitality. Let’s take a look at how including healthy fats into your diet can improve your life. Without too much science talk and long words that are hard to pronounce, let’s get to the helpful information.
The Bad Fats – The Ones That Make You Say Ew
Not all fats are created equal. There is the “bad” fats that are called “saturated fats” and “trans fats” . These fats are found in foods such as:
- Fried foods
- Butter
- High fat meats
- Fast foods
- French fries
- Pastries, cakes and cookies
- Shortening
- Full fat cheese
- High fat dairy
- Processed foods such as packaged snack foods
- Frozen microwaveable foods
These foods containing saturated and trans fats can cause many health risks such as cardio vascular disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, High LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and of course these fats will cause actual body fat which apart from making us feel sluggish and not our most confident, is the leading cause of obesity and all the other issues that accompany being overweight. These fats should be avoided or eaten in extreme moderation.
The Good Fats – The Ones That Make You Feel Great
What are good fats? Good fats are usually signified by the word Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated fat and are in a variety of foods and oils. Some sources of Monounsaturated Fats are:
- Unsalted, unsweetened nuts like almonds, walnuts, cashews, peanuts and pecans.
- Vegetable oils such as olive, canola oil and peanut oil
- Unsalted and unsweetened peanut butter, almond butter and cashew butter
- Avocados
Polyunsaturated is where you will find the famous Omega-3 fatty acids that are well known for contributing to your overall health. Some sources of Polyunsaturated fats are:
- Salmon (farm raised)
- Herring
- Sardines
- Trout
Then there is the other part of Polyunsaturated fats called Omega-6 fatty acids which are plant based and can be found in:
- Vegetable oils such as safflower oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil, flax oil
- Tofu
- Walnuts
- Roasted soy beans
You do want a good combination of both Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty acid to get the maximum benefits. A good rule to go by is 4 parts Omega 3 to 1 part Omega 6.
Healthy fats consumed in moderation (we will talk about how much is just right) can be very beneficial to you. Lets look at some of the positive effects healthy fats can have on you and your health.
Healthy Fats Help You Loe Weight
It sounds like an oxymoron when we say that healthy fat can help you lose fat but it is true. The right healthy fats eaten in moderation will actually help the process of burning stored fat, particularly in the waistline. Healthy fats also contribute to helping the metabolism run at its most efficient which is necessary for proper calorie burning.
Healthy Fats and Your Skin
How can including Healthy fats into your diet benefit your skin? Healthy fats provide moister to the skin giving it a healthy glow and plump appearance which makes wrinkles less noticeable and can help new ones from forming. It also aids in the production of collagen. This is important when you are losing weight because it will help the skin tone up faster and easier and you wont have to deal with lose saggy skin due to fat loss. Healthy fat also feeds the muscle tissue so it makes for a well
This is important when you are losing weight because it will help the skin tone up faster and easier and you wont have to deal with lose saggy skin due to fat loss. Healthy fat also feeds the muscle tissue so it makes for a well toned , youthful and glowing appearance overall.
Healthy Fats and the Brain
Your brain is surprisingly made up of 60% FAT! The fat our brain uses to function is mainly Omega-3 fatty acids and must be obtained from our diet. Healthy fat helps improve blood flow to the brain which will give you an increased memory, sharper mind, more clarity and better concentration ability. Research shows that consuming an appropriate amount of healthy fat can help nerve cells in your brain communicate much better. This communication is important when referring to “feel good” chemicals our brains produce such as serotonin and dopamine, which, with the appropriate amount of healthy fat can travel in and out of the nerve cells with ease which means a better, more stabilized mood.
This communication is important when referring to “feel good” chemicals our brains produce such as serotonin and dopamine, which, with the appropriate amount of healthy fat can travel in and out of the nerve cells with ease which means a better, more stabilized mood. In fact research from the National Institute of Health found that omega-3 fatty acids are as effective at treating depression as antidepressant drugs. Because consuming Omega-3 fatty acids improves cognition overall, ADHD and other attention issues show to be greatly reduced when proper amounts of healthy fat are consumed. Another benefit from consuming healthy fat is your sleeping patterns will improve due to the ease of communication between nerve cells for the dopamine and other sleep and relaxing inducing chemicals.
How Much Healthy Fat Is Healthy?
Now that we have told you all about the wonderful effects of consuming healthy fat, how much should you include in your diet to be effective and beneficial for your health and your waistline? A good rule to go by is to include a small portion at each of your 3 main meals daily. For example, about 7 to 10 walnuts with breakfast, a teaspoon of olive oil on your lunch and a piece of salmon for dinner is plenty sufficient. Consuming healthy fat from Nuts or nut
For example, about 7 to 10 walnuts with breakfast, a teaspoon of olive oil on your lunch and a piece of salmon for dinner is plenty sufficient. Consuming healthy fat from Nuts or nut butters more than once a day may be counterproductive to your weight loss goals so use them sparingly and try to get your dose of healthy fat from a nut source only once a day. It has been recommended due to the mercury levels in our seafood that you only consume fish a few times a week. In that case, you can use a healthy fat from the lists above to substitute and remember to make it the smallest part of your meal. A teaspoon or 2 of oil is plenty. Taking a fish oil supplement is also a good idea to support your daily intake. It does not,
It has been recommended due to the mercury levels in our seafood that you only consume fish a few times a week. In that case, you can use a healthy fat from the lists above to substitute and remember to make it the smallest part of your meal. A teaspoon or 2 of oil is plenty. Taking a fish oil supplement is also a good idea to support your daily intake. It does not, however take the place of getting your healthy fats from food sources as nutrients consumed in whole foods are about 90% absorbed and nutrients from supplements are about 50% absorbed. But a good fish oil supplement is a good idea. In conclusion, a small amount of fat from whole food sources combined with a good fish oil supplement taken daily can improve your overall health, mental health and weight. Now when someone calls you a “Fat Head” you can smile and say thank you.
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