It is sometimes assumed that if a food is high in fat then it’s no good for us… Well I’m here to tell you that that’s not always the case. Depending on their chemical structure, different fats are classified as either saturated, monounsaturated or polyunsaturated.
Monounsaturated fats
These fats can help reduce bad levels of cholesterol in the body’s blood, which can also help lower the risk of heart disease. They also contain nutrients that help maintain the body’s cells. You can find these fats in plant-based oils such as: olive oil. There are also monounsaturated fats in avocados, peanut butter and most other nuts and seeds.
Polyunsaturated fats
These fats have similar health benefits to monounsaturated fats. However, these fats also provide essential fatty acids: omega-3 and omega-6. These are extremely valuable. As well as lowering the risk of heart disease, these fatty acids also help regulate blood pressure. They can be found in oily fish such as: salmon, mackerel and trout. They can also be found in flaxseed, sunflower seeds, soya beans and tofu.
Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated are the good fats that we need to help maintain a healthy functioning body… The saturated fat is the fat you want to limit yourself to. A diet high in saturated fat can increase levels of bad cholesterol. Foods high in saturated fat are: fatty meats, milk, cheese and cream.
The good news is the foods that contain the good fats, are more tasty anyway!
SHK x
