A lot of foods high in good fats are also excellent providers of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, among other vital nutrients. These are a dietitian’s suggested 13 high-fat foods.
Foods heavy in fat have fluctuated in popularity over the past few decades, going from being very popular to very disliked to popular again. It seems like fat has returned to our lives. More significantly, though, has been the variance in the kind of fat.
Our diets must include fat because it gives our bodies energy, supports hormone function, improves memory, and helps our bodies absorb certain nutrients. This page explains healthy fats and what foods to eat that are high in them, as well as what fats should be avoided.
Classes of Fat
Four main categories of fat exist:
- monounsaturated (omega-9 fatty acids, another name for them).
- Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are two other names for polyunsaturated fatty acids.
- Finished.
- Fatty acids trans.The American Heart Association recommends consuming less trans and saturated fat and more “better fats,” such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Similarly, consuming fewer trans and saturated fats is advised by the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
An excess of trans fats in the diet has been linked to a rise in low-density lipoprotein (LDL), often known as the “bad” cholesterol, and a fall in high-density lipoprotein (HDL), sometimes known as the “good” cholesterol. These changes can raise the risk of diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Studies have also demonstrated that saturated fats increase cholesterol, which increases a person’s risk of heart disease. Still, an increasing body of data indicates that there is much more for us to understand about saturated fats.
Healthy fats are often defined as unsaturated fats, namely monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. The majority of plant-based foods, including avocados, nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils, include these kinds of fats. Fatty fish like salmon also include unsaturated fats.It is advisable to consider the entirety of all the vitamins and minerals a food may contain, rather than concentrating on just one, as is the case with most foods. In addition to being excellent providers of antioxidants and other vital nutrients like fiber and protein, many meals high in healthy fats also contain these components.
