The reason why nutritionists recommend eating good fatty foods, is that they can help reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer or strokes. Check out the benefits of healthy fats!
Good Fats and Bad Fats
Specialists talk about good fats and bad fats, however, how can you distinguish the healthy elements from the unhealthy ones? They seem to have found the answer to this question. So, in order to better understand these important differences, you should know that there are four types of fats: monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, saturated and trans fats.
The monounsaturated and polyunsaturated categories are generally known as good fats. You can find the monounsaturated type in foods like avocado, peanuts or plant oils (sunflower, peanut, soybean or olive oil). When it comes to polyunsaturated fats, these can usually be found in foods like fish, pine and Brazil nuts, or tahini (sesame seed spread).
Next, you should focus on the so-called bad fats. You can include here the saturated fats (found in ice cream, lamb, pork) and trans fats (found in doughnuts, candy bars, fried foods), which are thought to rise LDL cholesterol levels and increase the risk of chronic diseases.
Healthy Fats Benefits
For many years, people have considered fats as being a bad thing regardless of their type, nevertheless, studies have revealed that there are healthy variants that can bring great benefits to the table. Are you curious to find out which are the most important benefits of healthy fats?
A diet that’s rich in unsaturated fats is known to reduce the risk of strokes or heart disease. This can also lower the LDL (bad) cholesterol level. Moreover, the omega-9 fatty acids can increase the HDL (good) cholesterol and remove plaque buildup from your arteries.
In addition to this, if you decide to replace saturated fats with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, you can prevent atherosclerosis. Plus, recent studies have revealed the fact that omega-9 fatty acids can protect you against cardiovascular diseases.
Foods with Healthy Fats: Avocado
Avocado is certainly one of the best foods with healthy fats. Also known as the butter pear, this fruit is very rich in monounsaturated fats that can help lower LDL cholesterol. Nonetheless, nutritionists recommend moderation as a medium avocado can have about 30 grams of fat. Thus, if you don’t want to gain weight, you can substitute this food with cream cheese, for example.
Food Rich in Good Fats: Fish
Fish is yet another food rich in good fats. Just think about it: sardines, tuna, trout and salmon are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids. That’s why you should start eating more fish. Furthermore, the American Heart Association encourages eating 2 servings of trout, mackerel or salmon every week to keep your body healthy and strong and prevent a vast array of diseases.
Good Fatty Foods: Nuts
Nuts also deserve to be included on your list of good fatty foods. If you aren’t sure where to begin, you can start by eating more almonds, pistachios or walnuts. Almonds are very high in vitamin E while pistachios are packed with zeaxanthin and lutein, great elements that will keep your eyes healthy. Last but not least, walnuts are rich in an omega-3 fatty acid, so you’ll simply benefit from adding this great fatty food to your regular diet.
Research has also shown that those of you that eat nuts on a daily basis are usually thinner and healthier than those going for trans or saturated fats. That being said, you might want to take into account these new sources of energy. These nuts will keep your body fueled all day long and you’ll be able to focus better on your daily tasks.
Great Food With Healthy Fats: Eggs
Take a look at this great food with healthy fats. Eggs are good sources of protein and nutrients. They also contain choline, a vitamin B that can help regulate your brain and cardiovascular system. And although there have been a lot of debates regarding the cholesterol contained by eggs, it has been demonstrated that a moderate consumption can, in fact, improve your heart’s health.
Read also:Good Fats vs. Bad Fats8 Best Nuts to Include in Your Diet
Photos: Thinkstock
