Choosing a healthy fat.
Fat is an important part of a healthy diet. It is important to focus on eating more healthy or “good” fats.
These fats can help to:
Lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Lower bad LDL cholesterol levels,
Increasing good HDL.
Prevent abnormal heart rhythms.
Lower triglycerides
Lower blood pressure.
Prevent atherosclerosis
Adding more of healthy fats to your diet may also help to make you feel more satisfied after a meal, reducing hunger and help promoting weight loss.
Monounsaturated fat sources include:
Olive, canola, peanut, and sesame oils
Avocados
Olives
Nuts (almonds, peanuts, macadamia, hazelnuts, pecans, cashews)
Peanut butter
Polyunsaturated fat sources include:
Sunflower, sesame, and pumpkin seeds
Flaxseed
Walnuts
Fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, trout, sardines)
Fish oil
Soybean and safflower oil
Soymilk
Tofu
Avoid the “bad fats” such as Trans fat, that are found in:
Commercially-baked pastries, (cookies, doughnuts, muffins, cakes, pizza dough)
Packaged snack foods (crackers, microwave popcorn, chips)
Margarine, vegetable shortening
Fried foods (French fries, fried chicken)
Saturated fat, although not as harmful as trans fat , they can raise bad LDLD cholesterol. Best consumed in moderation (limit to 10% of daily calories)
Red meat (beef, lamb, pork)
Chicken skin
Whole-fat dairy products (milk, cream, cheese)
Butter
Ice cream
Lard