Choosing healthy fats

Everyone has heard this phrase before” low fat diets will help you loose weight and keep you healthy”. However recent studies have shown that this is not entirely accurate. Of course it is a well known fact that bad fats increase the cholesterol, but did you know that good fats can help one’s overall health? Did you know that omega 3 fats are extremely important and useful for one’s to physical and emotional health?

Noticed how whenever you walk into a grocery store or a supermarket, you are faced with so many guilt-free choices: delicious baked potato chips, low-fat ice cream and all kinds of other sweets and treats.? However, isn’t it peculiar how the obesity rates have increased even though people have so many low- fat foods to choose from? The answer is simple, these tricky and sneaky foods haven’t delivered the result they should have.

So don’t believe the rumors that fat is your enemy, because it isn’t.  Omega-3s and monosaturated fats along with polyunsaturated fats will work wonders on your metabolism. You will be on top of your mental game and you will be able to control your body weight. So don’t ignore these healthy fats, but include them in your daily eating habits.

Here is a list of the good fats you should include in your diet:

A. Monosaturated fats include: olives, avocado, sesame oil, olive oil, any type of nuts ( pecans, hazelnuts, walnuts etc) and peanut butter.

B. Polyunsaturated fats: pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, tofu, fatty fish such as salmon, tuna or sardines and herring.

It’s also best to stay away from trans fat(bad fats) such as: crackers, popcorn, chips, stick margarine, candy bars and any fried food( fried nuggets, fried chicken and of course French fries). It might be a bit challenging at first, especially if you are used to eating these kinds of fats, but it can be done. You can start by replacing fried French fires with some baked potatoes and fresh fish and of course cook everything with olive oil instead of butter or lard.

How to get more good fats in your food, you might ask yourselves. Well once you realize that trans fats have to go and that they are not healthy choices, what else can you do to improve your diet? The answer is simple: get the good fats from vegetable oils, seeds and fish.

• Start eating more avocadoes. Add them in delicious salads and make your own homemade guacamole. Yummy and tasty too.
• Start snaking on nuts. Some even like nuts in their salad mix, give it a try and see what you prefer. You can also snack on olives.
• If you enjoy eating salads, a good way to get these healthy fats in your food is by making your own quality dressings. Use the oils mentioned above and you won’t have to worry about feeding your body unhealthy fats.

So, take into account these tips if you want to make a change in your diet and ultimately in your lifestyle. Stop counting cholesterol and stop worrying about your weight. Choosing to replace bad fats with good fats will be a welcomed change and one that will be noticeable. Start now!