| Are you looking for Good Healthy Fats? A few | | | | glance as unhealthy. Nearly half of the total |
| years ago when they were saying fat was bad | | | | calories are fat calories, ( about 40%)- but most |
| for you. Everything suddenly became available in | | | | of that is monounsaturated fat. The diet has been |
| "fat-free" varieties. They said if you stick to these | | | | touted in books especially since it has been shown |
| fat-free varieties we were all supposed to be | | | | to reduce the risk of chronic diseases like heart |
| safe from the "bad" fat and we would all be thin | | | | disease, diabetes and some cancers. There is also |
| and beautiful. A few months passed and not only | | | | the chance that olive oil,( the source of most of |
| were we not thin, we had all gained weight. | | | | the fats in this diet), can have other helpful |
| Seems that getting rid of the fat from these | | | | benefits from reducing inflammation to reducing |
| products did not magically make them calorie free | | | | blood pressure and blood sugar. Besides olive oil, |
| in any way. In fact, the lack of dietary fat left us | | | | good sources of these monounsaturated fats are |
| unsatisfied and eating more than we would have | | | | hazelnuts, almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, avocado |
| if the fat had been present. The words fat-free | | | | and seeds such as sesame and pumpkin. |
| lulled us into complacent thinking and our hips and | | | | Although saturated fats are generally thought of |
| thighs paid the price. | | | | as bad for you across the board, there are |
| | | | actually some potentially good ones here too. |
| Flash forward to better research and a more | | | | Further research will be needed, but preliminary |
| sensible approach to food in general and a change | | | | findings suggest that the saturated fats like those |
| in attitude about fats in particular. Nutritionists now | | | | found in coconut and coconut milk may be |
| tell us that some fat is healthy, and actually | | | | beneficial. For now, the only thing that everyone |
| beneficial to a healthy diet. No longer the monster | | | | can agree on is that the major sources of |
| that it once was considered, good healthy fats | | | | saturated fats in the American diet should be |
| has now earned its own place in the food | | | | limited or avoided altogether. These would include: |
| pyramid, rather than being stuck in with the | | | | lamb, feed lot raised beef, and pork. |
| sweets and other treats. Fats are not as despised | | | | It would be very difficult to eliminate every |
| as they once were, and can be a good part of a | | | | source of fat from your diet. It would also be |
| healthy diet plan. | | | | very detrimental for your health as you lose |
| Fats should not be arbitrarily dismissed as bad- | | | | some of the benefits that come from the good |
| some of them are actually beneficial. The best of | | | | healthy fats. In the end, your body will not be as |
| the good healthy fats are the Omega-3s. These | | | | satisfied with the low-fat or fat free food |
| fats can be found in wild fish- (salmon, herring, | | | | anyway, leading you to eat even more than you |
| sardines) flax seeds and oil, walnuts and pumpkin | | | | would have, so look out for the good healthy fats |
| seeds. | | | | in products, mind your portion sizes and stop |
| Some more good healthy fats is | | | | thinking of all fat as bad. |
| monounsaturated fat. You see the health benefits | | | | Do you want to learn more about good healthy |
| when you realize that the Mediterranean diet is | | | | fats? click here and learn more about good |
| made up of what could be described at first | | | | healthy fats! |