5 Fats That Are Good For You
Achieving the right balance between proper diet and exercise is essential for good health, weight maintenance and weight loss. While fats and fatty foods have long been viewed in a negative light, natural fats have a number of wonderful benefits for your body. As you explore the vast array of equipment, exercise classes and training resources that are available, you have to make sure that you’re giving your body all the nutrients that it needs.
Good fats are essential for keeping the joints lubricated, promoting optimal brain functioning and supporting the various organ systems. These also contain the good cholesterol that is essential for heart health. Following are 5 fats that you should have in your diet.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil makes the top of this list due to the wealth of benefits it provides. It is an excellent lubricant for the digestive system and will quickly promote digestive regularity. This oil also has an impressive array of antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. The unique combination of fatty acids that coconut oil contains are ideal for the brain. With two to three tablespoons of coconut oil added to your daily diet, you will expend more energy and burn more fat. This is also one of the most stable oils out there and thus, you should be using this when cooking rather than olive oil.
Olives And Olive Oil
Olive oil has long be lauded for its health benefits. Unfortunately, many consumers have taken to cooking with this oil, which is highly unstable and undergoes a number of chemical changes when heated. Fresh olives and extra virgin olive oil served cool, whether in salad dressings or used as a dip, are great for promoting higher levels of cardiovascular health. Olive oil will additionally create digestive regularity and it is rich with antioxidants that lower oxidative stress and diminish the risk of cancer.
Nut, Nut Butters And Seed Butters
Nuts and seeds reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. In fact, people who regularly munch on almonds, pecans, walnuts, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds are less likely to pack on the pounds than those who do not. Nuts and seeds lessen the risk of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease and they drop triglycerides and LDL cholesterol. They are also an excellent source of energy and protein.
Avocados
Nearly three-quarters of the calories in avocados are comprised of healthy fats or monounsaturated fats. These lower LDL cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. For a fruit, avocados also pack a surprising amount of protein. One medium avocado can have as many as four grams of protein, making it the perfect dietary addition for fostering optimal muscle development. This fruit is low in sugar, rich in nutrients and has almost half the daily recommended intake of fiber in a single serving.
Fatty Fish
Fatty fish provide ample amounts of omega-3 fatty acids which are known to boost brain health, lubricate the joints and stave off a number of age-related diseases. Fish is always best when it is wild-caught, rather than farm-raised. Trout, salmon, mackerel and herring are all great fatty fish to eat. People should try to eat three servings of fish per week, with one of these being fatty fish.
Fat doesn’t deserve the bad reputation that is has earned. Certain fats are vital for protecting your brain and other organ systems and for preserving joint functionality. Eating a diet that is rich in the right types of fat can bolster your weight loss efforts, foster muscle development and improve your health overall.
