Healthy Fats That Won’t Make You Fat

Fats are perhaps the most controversial macro-nutrient in our diet. It is important to get healthy fat in foods that we eat. They facilitate absorption of important fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E and K. They are a source of essential fatty acids. They provide energy reserves and play an important role in the metabolism and detox of toxic substances in the body. Fats are essential for proper brain, heart, nerve, eye and lung function and support digestion and immune system health.

Don’t be afraid of fat (but don’t overdo it either). Fat doesn’t necessarily make you gain weight. I’ve heard some people say they avoid avocados because they are high in fat. Let me tell you, you will never see someone who got fat from eating too many avocados! It is the bread, refined grains, processed snack foods, animal fat, refined oils and dairy products that will put on weight.

How Much Fat Is Too Much?

This is the controversial part – how much fat is too much? Some diet experts claim that you can eat as much fat as you want and to avoid carbohydrates. Other diet experts say that you should limit fat intake and eat plenty of carbohydrates. I lean toward the high-carb, low fat reasoning. This appears to be the healthiest approach to long-term health.

Conservative dietitians and nutritionists recommend keeping fat intake at below 30% of total calories per day. Others say that you should restrict fat to 10-15% of total calories. I keep mine at around 10-12% of calories per day.

Good, Healthy Fats

AVOCADO

Avocados are something you should incorporate into your diet if you don’t already.

These fatty fruits are an excellent butter replacement. Just spread some ripe avocado on your sandwich instead of butter or mayonnaise and enjoy the guilt-free creamy goodness! I like to slice them up and add them to wraps, salads or even eat them on their own. Guacamole is also a great way to enjoy avocado, but be sure to make your own so that it’s fresh.

Occasionally, I’ll add a fourth of an avocado to green smoothies. This not only boosts the fat and calorie content of the smoothie making it more satisfying for longer, it also helps facilitate the absorption of all the fat-soluble A, E and K vitamins that green smoothies contain.

NUTS

Nuts are not only a great source of healthy fat and protein, they are packed with minerals. Nuts are a concentrated source of nutrients and a little bit goes a long way. Just one Brazil nut each day will provide 100% or more RDA of selenium, and 1/4 cup of walnuts provides almost 100% RDA of Omega-3 fatty acids. A quarter cup of almonds provides good levels of vitamin E, manganese, magnesium, tryptophan, copper, vitamin B2 and phosphorus.

Don’t get stuck in a nut rut, though. Be sure to branch out and also incorporate pecans, walnuts, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts and macadamia nuts as well.

I recommend that you only eat raw, unroasted nuts. Many commercially roasted nuts have extra oil and are loaded with excess sodium. Also, heat can denature protein and amino acids as well as reduce vitamin and some mineral content in certain foods. A raw cashew or almond might taste bland at first if you are not used to it, but once your taste buds adjust, you will fall in love with the delicate flavor of unroasted nuts.

You can add ground nuts to green smoothies, but I don’t. I prefer to snack on them as-is or soak them and make meatless dishes with them.

SEEDS

Seeds are rich in healthy Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids and provide an extra mineral boost. Grind up flax or sesame seeds and add them to your green smoothies or sprinkle sunflower or pumpkin seeds on your next salad. I like to eat sunflower seeds by the handful.

Flax seeds provide the highest concentration of Omega-3 fatty acids with over 100% RDA in just 2 tablespoons. Sesame seeds are the most calcium-rich seed with 1/4 cup providing 35% RDA of calcium. Sunflower seeds provide a rich source of vitamin E and pumpkin seeds pack a powerful dose of minerals.

OLIVE OIL

Olive oil is considered a healthy fat to include in your diet. I do not recommend adding it to a green smoothie, but making your own olive-oil based salad dressing is delicious. I recommend that you only purchase 100% extra virgin, cold pressed olive oil (organic if possible). Just a tablespoon sprinkled over a green salad with a splash of lemon juice and a pinch of basil, oregano or some cilantro is wonderful!

COCONUT OIL

Coconut oil (also known as coconut butter) is a rare, plant-based saturated fat and considered a “healthy saturated fat”. I sometimes use coconut oil in raw fudge recipes using cacao (raw chocolate) and agave nectar. You can add a tablespoon of coconut oil to a green smoothie for a nice hint of tropical flavoring and a healthy dose of medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) that help metabolize essential fatty acids and contribute to healthy hair, skin and cell function.

Fats To Avoid

SATURATED ANIMAL FATS

Animal fat is the leading source of saturated fat for most people. Saturated fat has been linked to a variety of health problems including heart disease and high cholesterol. If you don’t reduce or limit your consumption of animal fats for ethical reasons, do so for health reasons!

REFINED VEGETABLE OILS

Refined vegetable oils have been processed to withstand high temperatures during cooking. Unfortunately, the refining process removes nutrients, color and flavor and makes them less healthy for you.

TRANS FATS (HYDROGENATED OILS)

Trans Fats are produced when vegetable oils are heated in the presence of hydrogen. The resulting product, “partially hydrogenated oil”, is more stable and less susceptible to spoiling and has a longer shelf life. Unfortunately, it is also implicated in a variety of health risk from heart disease to cancer. Trans fats are usually found in baked goods, fried foods, snack foods, margarine, vegetable shortening and powdered mixes such as cake mixes or even hot chocolate powder.

More and more “trans-fat free” products are showing up on supermarket shelves. The best way to find trans fats in the products you buy is to search the ingredients list for hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated oil. Organic products are typically trans fat-free.

OVERHEATING WHEN COOKING WITH FATS AND OILS

Not all oils are able to withstand high temperatures used in cooking. The health-promoting benefits of olive oil can quickly be destroyed and turned into carcinogenic compounds when heated. The point at which an oil produces smoke, also know as the “smoke point”, is where it breaks down and no longer functions as a lubricant. Instead, it produces all sorts of toxic substances and fumes that can harm your health.

If you cook with oils, be mindful about the recommended cooking temperatures (smoke points) which are usually listed on the bottles.

Healthy Fats For Green Smoothies

It is easy to add healthy fats and oils to green smoothies. For tips and ideas, read our article on healthy fats for smoothies.

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Tags: avocados, coconut oil, fats, Nutrition, nuts, oil, olive oil, omega-3, omega-6, seeds, Weight Loss