You may obtain fats as a sort of nutrition from diet. These are considered macronutrients, which your body needs in substantial numbers (carbohydrates and protein are the other two). According to Medline Plus, fats can provide your body with the energy it needs to function, keep your skin and hair healthy, aid in the absorption of vitamins A, D, E, and K, fill your fat cells and act as an insulator to help keep you warm, and provide your body with essential fatty acids required for brain development, inflammation control, and blood clotting.
But there are several types of fat, and what kind you eat counts.
Unsaturated fat: A liquid at room temperature, typically considered suitable for the heart. Plants like nuts and seeds, as well as vegetable oils and seafood, contain this fat. In a nutrition label, search for "polyunsaturated fats" and "monounsaturated fats."
Animal foods like meat and butter and coconut and palm oil are sources of saturated fat, solid at room temperature. Although evidence is divided, this fat is frequently considered "unhealthy" for your heart. According to Brianna Elliott, RD, a nutritionist in St. Paul Minnesota,Trans fat: Liquid fats that have been hydrogenated to become solid. This kind of fat, which is included in fried meals, baked products, and processed snack items, was outlawed by the Food and Drug Administration in 2018. 1
Where the fat comes from is what counts most, according to Elliot. According to the American Heart Association, the fats in store-bought baked goods and ultra-processed snack foods can raise harmful cholesterol. 2 In contrast, tiny quantities of fat from more natural dietary sources, such as grass-fed beef, can be advantageous.
Therefore, it's accurate to say that not all fat is created equal. Nonetheless, the following foods are excellent providers of those "healthy" fats.
Olive Oil
The original healthy fat is olive oil. It assists in reducing your risk for diabetes, cancer, and heart disease, according to a large body of studies. The many elements in olive oil, notably oleic acid and secoiridoids, protect your body on a cellular level to halt aging, according to research published in the journal Molecules in 2016. According to Elliott, extra-virgin olive oil is best for health reasons since it is extracted naturally and doesn't undergo much processing before it is consumed.
Avocados
Avocados are more than just the main component in guacamole. According to a 2019 study published in Advances in Food Technology and Nutritional Sciences, they could also aid in reducing inflammation. Inflammation and cardiovascular disease are related. According to a 2013 research published in the Nutrition Journal, avocados' high fiber content may aid in reducing stomach emptying, keeping you satisfied for longer and delaying the onset of hunger. For the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K to be absorbed by your body, "you need to eat good fats. Pair them with a salad so that you can benefit from all those greens,"
Said Elliot. Avocado toast, a versatile food that can be eaten for breakfast, a snack, lunch, or even a quick dinner, is another simple method to obtain a decent serving of avocados.
Eggs
The US Dietary Guidelines maintained a stringent daily cholesterol consumption cap for many years. However, that limitation was removed in 2015. According to the American Diabetes Association, saturated fat (found in meals like fatty meats) often causes high cholesterol in people; thus, avoiding foods high in cholesterol, like eggs, is advised.
That's encouraging because eggs are a wonderful source of protein, vitamins, and minerals. According to Elliot, eggs from chickens reared on pastures or fed feed supplemented with omega-3s likely to be richer in omega-3s. Eating eggs in the morning may help some individuals feel full and satisfied for a longer time, according to a 2020 research published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
Fish
You may have heard of the term "brain food" when referring to fish. According to Elliot, these swimmers are bursting at the seams with omega-3 fatty acids, which are crucial for proper brain function. "You must eat them to be bright and healthy, since your brain is mainly fat."
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which all nourish your brain and combat inflammation and chronic illness, are polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids that should be consumed in healthy proportions, according to the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The US Food and Drug Administration advises choosing salmon, anchovies, herring, shad, sardines, oysters, trout, and Atlantic and Pacific mackerel (not king mackerel) if you're worried about mercury.
Almond butter
The PB&J sandwiches your parents packed in your lunchbox (and perhaps the ones you now pack for your children) were also relatively healthy for you. According to Keri Gans, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist in New York City, "Peanuts are rich with monounsaturated fats which are [typically] related with a drop in cholesterol and heart disease."
Almond and cashew butters are two more nut butters that are healthy. Elliot noted that the good fats in nut butters "may assist in keeping you full and content." Choose nut butters with nuts listed as the only ingredient to limit sugar intake.
Wooden nut
Nuts are nature's ideal travel food. Each handful is jam-packed with nutrients, including unsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E, and amino acids. According to a 2018 study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, consuming nuts reduces your chance of developing coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease.
Choose raw or roasted nuts whenever you can. Use flavored alternatives less frequently, such as honied, glazed, or candied.
Grecian yogurt
Full-fat Greek yogurt is roughly 60% saturated fat. However, the label may also list one gram of trans fat. Not to worry: Conjugated linoleic acid, a naturally occurring kind of trans fat, is present unless you find partly hydrogenated oil listed among the components (which is uncommon) (CLA).
Although ruminant trans fats, such as CLA, may assist in preventing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, man-made trans fats are exceedingly dangerous, according to Elliot. "Choose for grass-fed, full-fat yogurt to get the greatest value for your money when it comes to yogurt."
Low-fat choices are also offered. If you're worried about sugar, go with plain yogurt rather than flavored. Fruit, either frozen or fresh, can be used to sweeten it.
Dark chocolate
This delicious delicacy, a source of good fats, may aid heart health. This was demonstrated by research findings presented in 2014 at the American Chemical Society. Researchers discovered that eating dark chocolate feeds beneficial gut flora, including Bifidobacterium and lactic acid bacteria. They cultivate and ferment it to create anti-inflammatory substances that safeguard the health of your heart.
Olives
The oil's health benefits from these pressed beauties steal the show, but the fruits themselves deserve to take center stage—and your plate. They are abundant in antioxidant polyphenols, which save you from cell damage, and oleic acid, the monounsaturated fatty acid that protects your heart, according to a 2021 research report in the journal Antioxidants. They also include copper, fiber, and iron.
Leslie Bonci, RD, a sports nutritionist with the Pittsburgh-based business Active Nutrition Advice, advised Health to "expand your horizons beyond the juicy black olives seen on pizzas." "Huge olive bars in a variety of shapes, hues, and textures may be seen at markets. Even if you are certain that you dislike olives, there may be a kind that you actually enjoy; you have simply yet to discover it."
Just be aware that they could contain a lot of salt. For those aged 14 and older, the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend a salt intake of no more than 2,300 mg daily.
Cheese
Because of the fat problem, individuals often overlook the beneficial minerals that cheese contains, such as phosphorus, protein, and calcium, according to Sims. It also raises the body's levels of butyric acid, which is associated with a decreased risk of obesity and a quicker metabolism.
As a salad garnish, one of the healthiest ways to satisfy your cheese need, it gives your dish more taste, and the fat aids in vitamin absorption from the vegetables.
Soybeans
Soybeans are one of the few beans that are both high in protein and an excellent source of vital fatty acids. So they create a meat replacement that is high in fiber. Whether they are dried or fresh, soybeans are a good source of fiber, vitamins, minerals, isoflavones (a kind of plant-based estrogen), and full protein, according to Bonci. It holds for tofu, miso, and soy milk as well.
Yet, that does not imply that vegetable corn dogs are nutritious. "Meat substitutes like Fakin' Bacon are mostly made of soy protein and lack the other beneficial ingredients. So, for health advantages, pick complete soy meals."
Seeds
Because seeds are so little, it is simple to disregard them as bread seasoning or salad toppings. But it's time to view these crunchy toppings as the nutritious powerhouses they are, rather as just a garnish. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, polyunsaturated fats like omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce inflammation, are abundant in seeds including pumpkin, hemp, flax (process them in a coffee grinder to release nutrients or buy ground flaxseed), chia, and sunflower.
According to the Department of Agriculture, they are also an excellent source of protein, fiber, and vitamins and minerals, including vitamin E, iron, and magnesium.
According to nutritionist Stacy Sims, Ph.D., pumpkin seeds have been discovered to be particularly beneficial for controlling blood sugar.
