In my last post, I introduced concepts regarding “Healthy Fats”…but where do we get these fats? What kinds of foods? Do they taste good?…Hmm…
When you choose “Healthy Fats” for your diet, the best options are unsaturated fats such a monosaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These can lower your risk of heart disease by reducing the total Cholesterol and Low-Density Lipoproteins (LDL).
One type of polyunsaturated fat we already discussed…the buzzword running around these days is the Omega-3′s. Apart from protecting the lining of the arteries from damage due to oxygen free radicals, they have been reported to protect against irregular heartbeats and help lower blood pressure.
Here are some great sources of “Healthy Fats”:
*Monosaturated Fats…Olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, avocados, olives, nuts, and seeds.
*Polyunsaturated Fats…Vegetable oils (such as safflower, corn, sunflower, soy, and cottonseed oils), nuts, and seeds.
*Omega-3 Fatty Acids…Fatty, cold-water fish (such as Salmon, Mackeral, and Herring), flaxseeds, flax oil, and walnuts.
Nuts and olives are also excellent sources of vitamin E, iron, copper, zinc, and fiber. Keeping a balance of “Healthy Fats” in your diet gives you a feeling of “fullness”. This feeling will help you to avoid overeating…one of the biggest causes of obesity. Furthermore, “Healthy Fats” are metabolized differently than the “Unhealthy Fats”.
FATS TO AVOID…
*Saturated and trans fats…Saturated fats are usually solid at room temperature and have a high melting point. They raise LDL levels. It is not necessary to consume saturated fat as our bodies produce all that we need. Primary sources are; animal products including red meat and whole milk dairy products. Poultry and fish contain saturated fats, but to a lesser degree than red meat. Other types of foods that contain saturated fats include the tropical vegetable oils (such as coconut, palm, and foods made with these oils).
*Trans fats…Trans fats are created by heating liquid vegetable oils in the presence of hydrogen gas..a process known as hydrogenation…something good for the food manufacturer, but not for you. Trans fats elevate levels of LDL. Primary sources of trans fats are seen in vegetable shortenings, certain types of margarine, crackers, candies, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, baked goods, and other processed foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils…
The message here is to become a “label reader”. A couple of years ago, I decided to make a concerted effort to change my lifestyle with regards to diet. Being athletic and a gym rat, I was always concerned about making sure I was eating properly…but I wasn’t. When I learned about these harmful foods, I became an avid “label reader”. I found that my time at the grocery store was only increased by a few minutes, but my health increased significantly. Become Empowered in your diet…be a label reader and eliminate
unhealthy fats!
