5 Ways to Eat Healthy Fats

Remember the “low-fat” diet from years ago? Unfortunately it still exists and many of my patients believe that going low fat helps with weight loss.

Well….guess what? The opposite is true!

The next time you are grocery shopping check out the labels of the “low-fat” products: they're often filled with artificial sweeteners or chemicals to make up for the loss of fat flavour.

Research at Washington University School of Medicine showed that OLD fat stored around the belly, thighs, or butt cannot be burned off effectively unless we have NEW fat coming in from our diet or our liver.

The Harvard School of Public Health found that women who consumed nuts or nut butters 5 times per week or more significantly lowered their risk for type 2 diabetes (by almost 30%!) compared to those who rarely or never ate nuts or nut butters.

Healthy fats are also needed in the diet in order to release the satiation hormone, leptin. Your brain function also depends on healthy fats – the brain is composed of up to 60% fat! Your nervous system and the sheaths (myelin) that cover your nerves and that are essential for proper nerve transmission are also made of 85% fat!

So don't skip out on the fat. If anything, eat a little more of the good stuff listed below.

Healthy Fats to Include in Your Diet

Fish

Anchovies, pacific cod, wild salmon, sardines, and sablefish are all great cold water fish options, full of Omega 3s.

Nuts and Seeds

Almonds, cashews, chia and flaxseeds, pecans, walnuts, brazil nuts, hemp seeds and macadamia nuts, or any of their butters, are a great way to get a good dose of healthy fat.

Oils

Coconut, extra-virgin olive oil, flaxseed oil, hemp oil, avocado oil, and grape seed oil are all great sources of health fat. It goes without saying that you should use organic oils wherever possible.

Also remember to never use olive oil, safflower or sunflower to cook at high heat. They can turn into harmful fats at high heat. Instead, yse coconut, avocado or grape seed oil for your stir-fries and other high-heat cooking

 

AVOCADO

Enough said.

Dairy Products

Provided you don't have an intolerance to dairy, yogurt, goat cheese and milk, and sheep cheese and milk can be a great source of healthy fats if consumed in moderation.  Make sure any dairy you're consuming is grass-fed, organic and hormone and antibiotic free.