What are healthy fats?
There are two main types of healthy fats monounsaturated fats & polyunsaturated fats. These probably mean nothing to you but they are a far cry from saturated fat & trans fat- the fats responsible for increasing bad cholesterol and causing heart disease.
Monounsaturated fats include:
- Avocados
- Olives
- Nuts and seeds
In fact, they do the opposite of saturated fat and actually improve heart health by lowering bad cholesterol levels (LDL) and maintaining good cholesterol levels (HDL).
Polyunsaturated fats are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for brain function, reducing inflammation, and supporting heart health. You can find them in foods such as:
- Walnuts
- Olives
- Flaxseeds
- Chia seeds
- Fatty fish (such as salmon, mackerel, trout and sardines too)
In addition to supporting brain health, these fats can also enhance the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (such as vitamins A, D, E, and K), boost your energy, promotes healthy skin and hair & helps to regulate your hormones.
Instead of adding them to your diet if you’re not eating them already, (remember they are still fat, so moderation is key) a good rule of thumb is to aim to replace unhealthy fats (such as saturated like high fat meat & cheese) with healthy fats, have a piece of salmon instead of a steak, have some avocado on toast instead of a cheese sandwich, swap your bacon and eggs for chia seed pudding… you get the point, and your body and mind will notice the difference !
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