These Foods Are High In Healthy Fats

Contrary to popular belief, fat is actually good for you. Or, it can be good for you. It all depends on what kind of fat you are eating. In fact, healthy fatty foods are essential to your overall health and are necessary for the absorption of certain vitamins from other foods you eat. Here, we explain what healthy fats are and offer you a list of foods that are high in healthy fats.

What Are Healthy Fats?

There are two main types of fat when it comes to our diets: saturated and unsaturated. The biggest difference between saturated and unsaturated fat is the chemical bonds. Saturated fat contains double bonds and fewer hydrogen atoms which is why they are solid at room temperature. They usually come from animal sources such as dairy and meat. Unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature, come from plant sources, and are the healthiest fats.

A lot of people think that saturated fats are the bane of evil, downright terrible things that will you kill you if you eat them. However, saturated fat isn’t inherently bad. Like everything else, you just need to consume it in appropriate quantities.

Foods, such as dairy products, have saturated fat, but that doesn’t mean you should never consume dairy products. We know that consuming dairy offers several health benefits.

Unsaturated fat on the other hand, is found in plant-based foods. These are the types of fat we want to eat more of in our diets. You ever hear of Essential Fatty Acids, such as Omega-3 and Omega-6? They are unsaturated fats, which are good for heart and brain health, among other things. Just like saturated fats, there is an appropriate intake for unsaturated fats.

Figuring out how much you should eat isn’t too hard. The average diet should see no more than 35% of total calories as fat. Within that 35%, make unsaturated fats the majority (shoot for about 15-20% being monounsaturated fats and 5-10% being polyunsaturated fats). The remaining fat intake can be spread among saturated fats. Avoid trans fats, though. Those are truly bad.

Here is a list of healthy fatty foods that you should think about incorporating into your diet.

1. Avocados

Avocados are at the top of the healthy fatty foods list. These little green fruits are packed with unsaturated fat, omega-3, trace minerals, vitamins, fiber, and have a good amount of protein. They are good for your overall health and extra beneficial for your heart and cholesterol levels.

2. Whole Eggs

Whole eggs have a reputation as being unhealthy because many people thought the amount of cholesterol and fat in the yoke was unhealthy.

However, whole eggs are one of the most nutritious foods on the planet. New studies have debunked this nutrition myth and proven that eating them does not negatively affect cholesterol levels. Eggs are packed with nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Combined with their naturally occurring fat and high choline levels, eggs are one of the healthiest high-fat foods that you can add to your diet!

3. Fatty Fish

Fatty fish includes fish like salmon, herring, trout, and sardines and are considered the healthiest of all animal proteins. Like most other foods on this list, fatty fish are high in omega-3, vitamins, and minerals. All of this, combined with the high-quality protein, benefits your brain and heart health.

4. Cheese

There seem to be as many different types of cheese as there are people. They all have one thing in common, though – they are an excellent source of calcium, vitamin b12, and several other nutrients. The healthiest cheese is made with milk from grass-fed animals. It will be high in omega-3 and vitamin K-2 and packed with protein, making it an excellent heart-healthy snack.

5. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Everyone knows that extra virgin olive oil is good for your heart. Olive oil is high in a fatty acid known as oleic acid, which is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. To get the most benefit out of oil, you should eat it in raw form. The best way to do this is in homemade salad dressing. Throw in an avocado, and you have a power-packed meal!

Let Us Help You Out

Fat is an essential part of the human diet, and when eaten from the right sources in the right amounts, the health benefits are huge. That is why it is important to know what foods are high in healthy fats.

At CONDITIONerd we are here to help you achieve better physical and mental health through exercise. Check out the plans we offer to our customers and see if you could benefit from working with our team. And if you have questions, you can always contact a CONDITIONerd team member. 

Personal trainers, like those found here, can help guide you on your pathway towards reaching your fitness goals, whether that is getting bigger, stronger, faster, more lean, or just generally feeling better.

We can get you setup with a periodized workout plan, supplement information, and advice on nutrition to help you reach your goals.

The only thing you need is some motivation and a willingness to change some old habits.

Get into contact with us to find out what membership is right for you. In a CONDITIONerd program, you’ll be surrounded by others who can help you to get where you want to be.

Generally, our clients start to see some pretty awesome changes in 2-3 months time, some sooner.