Healthy Fats
Fats are an essential part of our diet and is important for good health. There are different types of fats, with some fats being healthier than others. To help make sure you stay healthy, it is important to eat unsaturated fats in reasonable amounts as part of a balanced diet. However; if fat is consumed in large amounts even the healthy type, it can contribute to weight gain and increase the risk of disease.
It is also very important to closely monitor the body fat percentage to achieve good health. The ideal body fat percentage for women between 20-39 years of age should be 21-33%, while those between 40-60 years of age should be from 23-34%. As for men between 20-39 years of age the percentage should be from 8-19%, and for the 40-60 years of age from 11-21%.
So to achieve this, it is very important to follow a diet low in saturated fats and trans fats; and to include moderate amounts of unsaturated fats.
Benefits of healthy fats:
-Consuming healthy fats is very important as it helps in the formation of HDL which is known as the good cholesterol needed to help keep the arteries clean. HDL levels in the blood helps the body get rid of extra unhealthy fat in the blood vessels, by carrying it the liver to get rid of it.
-Helps in proper absorption of vitamin A, D, E, and K, and thus will prevent the formation of deficiencies in these vitamins.
-Brain function: Adequate intake of healthy fats is very important for brain health, including mood.
–Hormone and gene regulation: Fats regulate the production of reproductive and steroid hormones, as well as genes involved in growth and metabolism.
-Helps you feel full for longer.
What is the recommended daily fat intake?
The daily amount will differ from one person to another; according to the daily caloric intake, as well as the goal whether it is to lose, maintain or gain weight. As a general rule, daily fat consumption should range from 20-35% of the total daily caloric intake. So for example; in a1500 calories diet if 30% of it will be fat, then it will equate to 50 grams.
However, it has been found through many studies that the best diet to follow is the “Mediterranean diet”, which is considered one of the healthiest diets as it provides a good balance between protein, carbohydrates and healthy monounsaturated fats.
What kind of healthy fats should be included in the diet?
It is best to consume unsaturated fats, as they help to reduce the risk of heart disease and lower cholesterol levels (among other health benefits) when they replace saturated fats in the diet. There are two main types of unsaturated fats:
Polyunsaturated fats, which is divided into:
–Omega-3 fats, which are found in fish (specifically oily fish like salmon, sardines, herring and mackerel), cod liver oil, flaxseeds, flaxseed oil, chia seeds, walnuts, dark green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach and broccoli.
Omega-6 fats, which are found in some oils; such as: sunflower oil, canola oil, safflower and soybean oil, along with some nuts, including Brazil nuts.
However; it is very important to consume more omega 3 than omega 6 foods, to decrease the risk of inflammation, blood clots, heart attacks, cancer and depression.
Monounsaturated fats:
Found in both animal and plant foods; such as: olive oil, olives, avocado, nuts (raw almonds, cashew, macadamia nuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, and pecans), peanuts, nut butters, canola oil and beef.