The body needs healthy fats. Learn which ones are good for you and which ones should be avoided. Know what foods have good fats so you can include them in your diet.
Healthy Fats
The body needs fat. Fat surrounds and cushions all organs. It serves as a shock absorber to prevent serious damage to internal organs. Fat under the skin insulates the body from extreme temperatures and, in a pregnant woman, protects her unborn baby. It is important to all cells in the body as part of their surrounding envelopes–the cell membranes. Vitamins A, D, E, and K (fat soluble vitamins) are found mainly in foods that contain fat. Fat also gives food its aroma and flavor.
Before learning what foods have good fats, you should know what fats are good and what fats are bad:
• Bad fats include saturated fats (found in animal products) and trans fats (found in many commercial baked goods as hydrogenated oils). Many studies, performed over the past 25 years, show it is bad fats, and not cholesterol, that affects cholesterol levels the most.
• Good fats include unsaturated fats: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. These fats can actually lower total cholesterol and bad (LDL - low density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels, thus lowering one’s risk of developing heart disease. Omega 3 fatty acids, one type of polyunsaturated fat, is particularly helpful to the heart. It can help lower blood pressure and decrease the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD).
What Foods have Good Fats?
Fish
Salmon - 3 ounces (raw) contain 3.7 grams of monounsaturated fat, 2.4 grams of polyunsaturated fat, and 1991 milligrams of omega 3 fatty acids.
Mackerel - 3 ounces (raw) contain 4.6 grams of mono, 2.8 grams of poly, and 2270 milligrams of omega 3.
Oil
Olive oil - 1 tablespoon contains 9.8 grams of mono, 1.4 grams of poly, and 103 milligrams of omega 3.
Peanut oil - 1 tablespoon contains 6.2 grams of mono, 4.3 grams of poly, and no omega 3.
Safflower oil - 1 tablespoon contains 10.1 grams of mono, 1.9 grams of poly, and no omega 3.
Cottonseed oil - 1 tablespoon contains 2.4 grams of mono, 7 grams of poly, and 27 milligrams of omega 3.
Canola oil - 1 tablespoon contains 8.9 grams of mono, 3.9 grams of poly, and 1279 milligrams of omega 3.
Flaxseed oil - 1 tablespoon contains 2.7 grams of mono, 8.9 grams of poly, and 7196 milligrams of omega 3.
Nuts and Seeds
Walnuts - 1 ounce contains 2.5 grams of mono, 13.2 grams of poly, and 2542 milligrams of omega 3.
Peanut butter - 2 tablespoons (smooth) contain 7.6 grams of mono, 4.4 grams of poly, and 24.3 milligrams of omega 3.
Cashews - 1 ounce contains 6.7 grams of mono, 2.2 grams of poly, and 17.4 milligrams of omega 3.
Sunflower seeds - 1 ounce contains 2.3 grams of mono, 9.6 grams of poly, and 21 milligrams of omega 3.
Flaxseeds - 1 ounce contains 2.1 grams of mono, 8 grams of poly, and 6388 milligrams of omega 3.
Fruit
Avocado - 1 fruit (raw and without skin and seed - 136 grams) contains 13.3 grams of mono, 2.5 grams of poly, and 150 milligrams of omega 3.
Sources Used
Mayo Clinic: Dietary fats: Know which types to choose - https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fat/NU00262
Nutrition Data - https://nutritiondata.self.com/
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of the United States Department of Agriculture (in the public domain)
