Have More Heart Protective Fats - Why Is It Important

Fats have gotten a bad rap in the last few years. The invention of low-fat varieties of almost any food that can be bought at the grocery store led many people to believe that there was something intrinsically bad about fats. This isn’t the case. In fact, we actually need fat to stay alive! Fats also carry the fat soluble vitamins A, D, and E.

Some types of fats can actually bring health benefits like helping to lower cholesterol. Did you know that? Other types of fats are important for brain development and functioning. The type of fat you eat can either increase or reduce your risk for certain kinds of cancer. All fats are definitely not created equal!

An easy rule of thumb to remember which fats you should eat more often and which fats you should eat less often is this: plant fats are generally better for you than animal fats. Keeping this rule in mind, you would be able to predict that butter, cream, bacon, lard, eggs, and high fat beef cuts are relatively unhealthy, whereas avocados, olive oil, canola oil, peanut butter, and nuts are much better for you.

As with all rules, there are some exceptions that should be mentioned. Coconut is a plant, but it contains mostly saturated fat, which isn’t good for your cholesterol levels or your heart. Fish are animals, but fish contain an excellent kind of fat called omega-3 fatty acids. Many health experts are currently recommending that people try to eat fish a couple of times a week in order to get these benefits. Not a big fish-eater? Walnuts are also a good food source.

To get the maximum heart protection from your fats, make the switch to more plant based fats. These foods contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which can help you to lower your “bad” cholesterol levels. If you don’t currently eat many of these healthy fats in your diet, take small steps to begin incorporating them into your daily eating habits. Grab a small handful of nuts for a snack. Keep frozen fish in the house to pull out for dinner twice a week. Try a couple of slices of avocado on your salad; it is delicious!

The other side of the coin is to reduce your intake of the less-healthy fats to get benefits for your heart. Trade your butter for cholesterol improving vegetable oil spread. Many brands are now available at your grocery store. Drink skin or 1% milk and buy leaner cuts of meat.

Moving to a diet based on plant fats and fish will increase your consumption of unsaturated fats and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. This will in turn help to protect your heart and improve your health. Get started today!

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