Happy Wednesday! I hope everyone is having a wonderful week!
For today's "Wellness Wednesday" topic, we will be discussing dietary fats. Often fats get a bad reputation, however they are essential for a healthy balanced diet. Please read below for some tidbits, and don't hesitate to reach out if have you any questions.
Benefits of Healthy Fats:
Decreases LDL ("bad") and increases HDL ("good") cholesterol
Reduces risk of having heart disease or a stroke
Lowers blood pressure
Prevents abnormal heart rhythms
Decreases inflammation
Reduces mental decline
Promotes a better mood
Increases energy
Makes you feel satisfied
Promotes healthy and glowing skin
Healthy Fats Versus Low Fat: Since fat is an essential part of a healthy diet, rather than following a "low fat diet", we should be consuming more "good" or "healthy" fats and less "bad" or "unhealthy" fats.
Eat More "Healthy" Fats: Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are considered the "good" fats that support our heart health. Consider eating more of these in replacement of the “unhealthy” fats.
Examples of Healthy Fats:
Olive oil
Avocado oil
Coconut oil
Sesame oil
Safflower oil
Canola oil
Avocado
Olives
Nuts such as: almonds, pistachios, walnuts, cashews, etc.
Nut butters
Seeds such as: flax, chia, pumpkin, sunflower, hemp, sesame, etc.
Fatty fish
Simple Ways to Eat Healthy Fats:
Spread mashed avocado on your toast or sandwich
Pair nut butter with a banana, apple, or celery
Add nut butter or avocado to a smoothie
Roast some veggies with olive or avocado oil
Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar on a salad
Top your salads, yogurt, or oatmeal with seeds and nuts
Add olives to your salad, pizza, pasta, or tacos
Snack on nuts versus chips
Go for the guacamole versus the cheese dip
Order salmon rather than steak
Have a piece of dark chocolate for dessert
Put almond butter and cocoa nibs on a Medjool date (One of my favorites!)
Consume Less "Unhealthy" Fats: Trans and saturated fats are considered the "bad" fats. They can cause inflammation, heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Trans fats are artificially made and can cause more negative effects, so we really want to be mindful of limiting these. Saturated fats can raise LDL, however it doesn't have quite as many harmful effects as trans fats, so it's encouraged to consume these in moderation.
Examples of Trans Fats to Limit:
Commercially-baked pastries, cookies, doughnuts, muffins, cakes, pizza dough
Packaged snack foods ( processed crackers, microwave popcorn, chips)
Stick margarine, vegetable shortening
Fried foods
Anything containing hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, even if it claims to be “trans fat-free” (Read the labels!)
Examples of Saturated Fats to Consume in Moderation:
Red meat (beef, lamb, pork)
Chicken skin
Whole-fat dairy products (milk, cream, cheese)
Butter
Ice cream
Lard
Tropical oils such as palm oil
Wellness Wednesday Challenge: Try to incorporate a healthy fat into at least one of your meals or snacks today, and pay attention to how it tastes and makes you feel. You might notice more flavor, more mental clarity, and increased energy just from this small little tweak to your diet.
Thank you for stopping by! Have a happy and healthy rest of your week!
