You have heard for years about the health hazards of high fat diets. What you may not know is that fats, the right kinds in the right amounts, are necessary for good health. Fats, or fatty acids, are your body’s energy storage molecules but they play other critical rolls as well. Cell membranes, some hormones, immunity and blood clotting all require fatty acids. Your choice of fat can have a profound effect on your health.
There are two fatty acids that are essential nutrients, meaning your body does not produce them in sufficient quantities. They are alpha linolenic acid (ALA) and linoleic acid. ALA is an omega-3 fatty acid and linoleic acid is an omega-6 fatty acid. The typical American diet tends to be much higher in omega-6s than omega-3s. Higher levels of dietary omega-3s in proportion to the omega-6s are protective against heart disease, strokes and other degenerative diseases. In other words, eat more fish or take omega-3 supplements. Fish oils contain EPA and DHA, which are more active forms of omega-3 fatty acids. Polyunsaturated vegetable oils are good source of linoleic acid, which is essential, but we are getting too much in our diets.
Another important type of beneficial fat is monounsaturated fat, which helps reduce levels of LDLs ("bad" cholesterol) without lowering HDLs ("good" cholesterol). Polyunsaturated fats lower both and they are inflammatory.
Limit your intake of most saturated fat and avoid all trans fat. Trans fats are products of hydrogenation of polyunsaturated fatty acids. They are in margarines and processed foods such as chips, crackers and some buttered popcorns. Trans fat is listed on food labels, but zero can simply mean there is less than half a gram of trans fat per serving. They are more harmful to your health than saturated fat.
Here are 7 fatty foods that are beneficial.
1. Olives, olive oil and canola oil are good source of monounsaturated fatty acids.
2. Avocados are also great sources of monounsaturated fatty acids.
3. Fatty fish including salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel, are high in omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA). It is important, however, to consider the source of the fish you eat due to mercury and PCB contamination of some fish.
4. Nuts are good sources of unsaturated fats with a healthy balance of omega-6 fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids. Walnuts are particularly good source of omega 3 fats and almonds are a good source of monounsaturated fats.
5. Flax seed and flax seed oils are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
6. Grass fed beef and bison contain more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and omega 3 fatty acids than feedlot beef. CLA has anti-carcinogenic effects and may promote maintenance of muscle mass.
7. MCT oil (medium chain triglyceride oil), which is found in coconut oil, has been shown to aid in weight loss and improve insulin resistance. Insulin resistance leads to type 2 diabetes. Although coconut oil is conventionally not recommended due to its saturated fat content, heart disease rates are usually low in populations where coconut oil is a primary source of fat.
Emerging science is shedding light on more and more benefits of specific fats in our diets. You can eat a moderate amount of fat and actually improve the quality of your diet, reducing your risk for heart disease, diabetes and other chronic diseases if you choose healthy fats. Healthy fats can even help with weight loss by making meals more satisfying, but even healthy fats should be limited to 30-35% of calories.