This week we look at which fats you need in your diet and which fats you don’t.
Unsaturated fats are your good fats and should be included in your daily diet. Foods that contain good fats are nuts, seeds, olive oil, olives, avocado and oily fish. Good fats are the building blocks for a healthy body and are essential for assisting the absorption of fat soluble vitamins, maintaining a healthy nervous system, regulating blood pressure and will also help you feel fuller for longer and help prevent reaching for unhealthy snacks between meals.
Saturated fats are your bad fats and should only be eaten in moderation or avoided completely if your goal is to lose body fat. You can generally tell if a food contains bad fat as it is usually solid at room temperature for example butter, cheese and meat fats. Generally saturated fats are found in sweets, biscuits, pastries and chocolate. Eating saturated fats can lead to weight gain, high cholesterol and heart problems.
My advice is to include some healthy fats in your daily diet for example a drizzle of extra virgin olive or ½ an avocado with your lunch along with a handful of nuts as a mid-afternoon snack or some oily fish such as salmon for dinner. Combine this with last week’s advice about avoiding processed foods and you’re well on your way to a healthy diet!