Fad diets have always been around, despite the fact that they’re essentially useless.
What you need to focus on is the type of nutrients you put into your body, such as healthy fats. Fats are believed to be all bad, but they have essential roles in providing us with energy, absorbing specific vitamins, and even in cell synthesis.
Let’s learn more about foods that will add healthy fats to your diet!
What are Healthy Fats?
When it comes to talking about fats, many people are intimidated by different terminologies. Let’s simplify it for you.
There are 2 kinds of healthy fats – monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats.
- Monounsaturated Fats
Monounsaturated fats are the type of fat molecules that have just 1 unsaturated carbon bond, hence the prefix “mono.” Any oil that has these fats in them is generally liquid at room temperature and solidified under colder temperatures.
- Polyunsaturated Fats
Polyunsaturated fats are those fat molecules that have more than 1 unsaturated carbon bond. Like monounsaturated fats, these are also liquid at room temperature and solid when chilled.
Both of these have been known to lower the risk of heart disease and stroke. It even fights high blood pressure and the narrowing of arteries. In fact, adding these fats might help you with weight loss!
10 Foods to Add Healthy Fats to Your Diet
Here are a few foods you can incorporate into your diet that can up your healthy fat intake:
1. Eggs
Whether eggs contain good or bad fats is an argument that has been repeated a lot over the years.
The answer is moderation. Eggs are a great source of protein, vitamin b12, and a compound called chlorine, which has brain-boosting qualities. Chlorine is an essential nutrient that about 90% of people lack.
Eggs are said to be high in cholesterol, but having one cooked in a healthy oil per day can actually lower the risk of heart disease! They are also beneficial for losing weight since they can help you stay full for a long time.
2. Avocados
Avocados might just be the new apples since they’re going to help you keep your doctor away!
According to recent research, avocados have been known to lower bad cholesterol. These unique fruits have over 75% of the fat content in the unsaturated type. Typically one-third of an avocado contains 5 grams of monounsaturated fats and 1 gram of polyunsaturated fat.
Most fruits contain carbs, but avocados don’t.
Other than fats, they’re also packed with potassium, even more than bananas! They also contain a high amount of fiber, which is just as beneficial for the heart and your metabolic system.
The best part is avocadoes are versatile enough to be used in sweet and savory recipes.
3. Yogurt
Full-fat yogurt contains the same ingredients as any other dairy product, but it’s also full of healthy probiotics.
A cup of yogurt contains 8 grams of fat. It has often been used to improve digestive health and might even help with weight loss.
Just make sure your yogurt doesn’t have added sugar in it.
4. Nuts
For people who are busy and don’t get time to cook proper meals, nuts are the simplest solution. Not only are they rich in monounsaturated fats, but also omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and lots of antioxidants.
A cup of yogurt contains 8 grams of fat. It has often been used to improve digestive health and might even help with weight loss.
Just make sure your yogurt doesn’t have added sugar in it.
Nuts like walnuts, some tree nuts, and even peanuts have been linked to a lowered risk of cardiovascular disease.
When they are replaced with unhealthy fats such as red meat, an improvement in cardio health can be seen. Like any other ingredient, nuts should also be used in moderation. Since most of their content is fat, the recommended serving size is about 1.5 ounces or a quarter of a cup.
Before you go and buy any of the 7 types of nuts, make sure you don’t have any allergies.
5. Salmon
Fish are high in protein. Salmon is a fatty fish with an intense amount of fat compared to any other meat. They have higher amounts of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids such as EPA and DHA.
Whether you enjoy this meat raw, baked or smoked, a 3-ounce filter will offer you up to 11 grams of fat. Eating just 2 of these servings a week will bring your good fat intake up to its optimum level.
Consuming salmon has been shown to improve muscle mass and even slow age-related muscle mass.
Whenever you’re buying fish, make sure to buy it from a reputable seller to avoid high amounts of mercury in them.
6. Chia and Flax Seeds
You might’ve heard of chia seed pudding. Well, now is the time to grab a bowl of it because these tiny treats have about 11 grams of fat per ounce! To add on, most of the carbs in chia seeds are just fiber, another plus point!
The bigger chunk of fats in the chia seeds is made up of vital omega-3 fatty acids known as alpha-linolenic acids, or ALA.
The best part about them is that they can be sprinkled over anything, which is an easy way of increasing fats in your diet. Simply adding some in your smoothie, oatmeal, toast, or just a good old chia seed pudding will do the job.
7. Olives and Olive Oil
Olives might be small, but each of their varieties is super rich in fats. Just an ounce of green olives, which is about 14 olives, gives you 4 grams of fat. That’s enough to give your salad a level-up!
These Mediterranean staples have 10.9 grams of monounsaturated fats per 100g! Research has shown that olives also contain a substance called oleuropein, which might help prevent diabetes.
Oleuropein helps the body produce more insulin but also reduces the cytotoxic actions of a molecule that can lead to diabetes.
Other than olives, extra virgin olive oil is better than any other oil you can use. Research has shown replacing margarine, butter, and even mayonnaise with the same amount of olive oil can lower your risk of heart disease and cardiovascular disease in general!
Olive oil is high in oleic acid, which is a fatty acid that provides anti-inflammatory properties. Because of how lightweight olive oil is, it can be used whole cooking or just as a dressing on salads!
8. Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate, a taste for the developed palette, can be used for more than a treat. Its fat content is quite high, with about 65% of its calories just being made up of fat – the good kind.
Also, dark chocolate contains fiber and nutrients such as magnesium and iron.
It might give you a healthy heart and young skin as well, as it’s loaded with antioxidants such as resveratrol and epicatechin. Though it’s easy to incorporate chocolate into your diet, make sure your tasty treat has 70% or more cocoa.
Try to keep the sugar content low, or it might just have the opposite effect.
Dark chocolate can be paired with sweet juicy fruits like raspberries or even strawberries. You can coat any sort of nuts with it too!
9. Soy Products
80% of soy crops are eaten by livestock, but more and more humans have now been leaning towards them for a number of reasons.
About 6% of the population now regularly uses products such as tofu, miso, and soy milk. Soy is one of the best plant-based proteins out there since it contains all 9 of the most vital amino acids. Moreover, it also contains more healthy polyunsaturated fats.
The most popular soy product, tofu, has quite a reputation among vegetarians and vegans alike, thanks to its versatility and range. It can make a great base for a scramble or even a smoothie!
The best way to incorporate soy into your diet is by starting with the plant itself, edamame. Half a cup of edamame has about 4.5 grams of fat. You can boil them, puree them or just enjoy them with some hummus. All you need to do is get a little creative.
10. Shredded Coconut
Coconut can be found in many liquid forms; cream, water, and even milk. But the best form of coconut you should be eating daily is flakes. Coconut flakes pack about 8 grams of fat per ounce and a whole lot of creamy flavor.
Not only are they low in carbs but also high in fiber, which can slow digestion and improve insulin resistance.
Coconuts can be shredded or ground up to replace good old white flour, especially if you’re looking for a gluten-free diet.
Though coconut meat is delicious and quite healthy, try to use coconut oil in moderation as it can lead to a high level of bad cholesterol.
The Bottom Line
Don’t be afraid to change up your diet with these foods since fats are a very important macronutrient you need. Food scientists have discovered that fats are proving to be more beneficial than they previously thought.
Many fat-rich foods are high in calories, so it’s wise to take care in moderation and eat things like nuts in small amounts. If you’re confused about how to take your diet to the next level, talking to a nutritionist might help!
