A daily diet rich in healthy fats or “good fats” means a cardiovascular system free of disease and a balanced nervous system. In recent years, nutritionists emphasized the differentiation of fat from food and understanding how they're different types influence longevity. While it is important to limit your intake of saturated fat and trans fat (from dairy, meat, butter, sausages and desserts), make sure your daily menu contains monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats such as omega-3 fatty acids, which have real beneficial properties for your health.
Healthy fats and bad fats
Fats have been blamed for years by specialists due to the dangers they raise for one’s health, from increasedcholesterol levels, weight gain toheart disease. But not all fats are the same. There are four main types of fats:
- monounsaturated fats;
- polyunsaturated fats;
- trans fats;
- saturated fats;
The first two (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) fats are considered healthy by modern nutritionists, as they are beneficial for the cardiac system, adjusting the level of good cholesterol in the body and health in general.
Saturated and trans fats are part of the unhealthy category, as they are associated with a high risk of weight gain and development of chronic diseases, such as cardiac affections, cancer and stroke.
Foods containing healthy fats
Fats are necessary to the body, as they help with absorption of fat soluble vitamins(such as vitamins A, E and K) and maintain a feeling of fullness. The secret is to concentrate on healthy fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) and eliminating the unhealthy ones (saturated and trans). Below you have a list of foods containing fats from the first category:
1. Grounded flax seeds – a less known source of healthy fats are flax seeds. A quantity of 268 grams offers 38,325 grams of omega-3 fat acids, 48,3 grams of polyunsaturated fats and 6,2 grams of monounsaturated fats. Grounded flax seeds especially help with maintaining your health and the youth of your skin, generously completing the daily intake of fiber and regulating inflammation in the body.
2. Fat fish – a very rich source of healthy omega-3 fats is fat fish, especially salmon, mackerel, herring, trout, sardines and tuna. They help maintain heart health and protect cognitive functions as you advance in age. The American Association of Heart Health suggests we consume two portions of fat fish a week to enjoy its healthy fat benefits (a portion must be the size of a deck of cards).
3. Avocado – the delicious avocado is beneficial to the heart and even relieves the symptoms of osteoarthritis, due to its generous monounsaturated fat, which lowers the bad cholesterol in the body. Associate avocado with other foods rich in vitamins and mineral, so your body will be able to absorb it better. Pay attention though at the quantities of avocado used in recipes: half of medium fruit gives about 115-160 calories.
4. Seeds – whether pumpkin, sunflower or sesame seeds, they all contain healthy fats that significantly reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol in your body. Eat them as much as possible in their raw state, without salt, without being fried in oil, so you’ll only give the beneficial nutrients to your body.
5. Oleaginous fruits - walnuts, hazelnuts and pistachios fruits maintain cardiovascular health, just because they have an important input of healthy fats. They are also high calorie, so it is important to eat them in moderation. A portion means 14 walnut halves, 24 almonds, 35 hazelnuts, 18 half cashew nuts or 15 pistachios.
6. Olive oil – a basic ingredient in the healthiest diet in the world, the Mediterranean one, olive oil is an excellent source of healthy fats (especially omega-3 fat acids). Use it in salads or cooking, keeping in mind the high calorie intake!
7. Eggs – a big egg contains about 5 grams of fats, mostly beneficial, aside the big quantity of essential proteins for muscle tone and daily energy reserves. Some types of eggs are even fortifiedwithomega-3 fatty acids (this supplement is mentioned on the label of the carton of eggs).
8. Beans – white, black or red beans, next to soy beans contribute to restoring the balance between mind and body. The reason is the generousintakeofomega-3 essential fats, which also supports and improves the mood.
9. Peanut butter – if you can limit yourselves to two spoons a day, you’ll only consume 16 grams of fat, half of which is monounsaturated. Thus, not only will you not gain weight by eating something sweet, but you'll be able to reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease.
10. A spoon of unsweetened coconut – contains about 18 grams of monounsaturated fat, which places coconut on the top places in the list with “ideal diet foods”. Not only will it help you lose weight, but it is also recommended in preventing cardiovascular disease.
Be mindful of what you introduce in your diet in order to keep it balances and maintaining a general state of health!
