A healthy diet should include fats from whole foods that are rich in healthful monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These fats help lower LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol and may lower your risk for heart disease. They may also help lower triglyceride levels in your blood, which can contribute to heart and blood vessel problems. You’ll find these healthy fats in avocados, olive oil, peanut butter, almonds, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds and chia seeds.
How do we find healthy fats?
Healthy fats are lipids that, due to the specific types of chemical bonds they contain, remain liquid at room temperature. They’re divided into two subcategories — monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. The latter includes omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are considered essential fats because your body can’t make them on its own.
The significance of increased intake of healthy fats
“Healthy fats can significantly decrease your risk for cardiovascular disease,” a March 2018 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition says. The study found that consuming more monounsaturated fats (such as those in olive oil and nuts) can reduce your levels of bad cholesterol, or LDL cholesterol, and raise good cholesterol levels. But you’ll still need to cut out unhealthy saturated fats, too, which are found in foods such as beef, lamb and pork; fried foods; cream, full-fat cheese and ice cream.
