5 Ways To Add Healthy Fats To Your Diet

In the age of “fat-burning exercises” and “fat-free diets,” the term healthy fats might seem like an oxymoron. This bad reputation that fat has comes from post-World War II research which linked high-fat diets to high cholesterol levels. While there wasn’t any significant evidence to back this conclusion, by the 1960s, Americans had adopted a “low-fat” lifestyle to lose weight and keep their hearts healthy. Despite this, obesity became widespread in America.^{1 2} Surprisingly enough, it was also found that diets rich in healthy fats – particularly the Mediterranean diet – reduced the risk of heart diseases and obesity.³

In order to embrace healthy fats, it’s important to first understand what falls under the umbrella term “fats.”

Types Of Fats And Their Sources

Fats consist of trans fat, saturated fats, monounsaturated fats, and polyunsaturated fats.

Bad Fats Or Saturated Fats

• Trans fat (trans-unsaturated fat): It is the most harmful type of fat, commonly added to shortenings, hydrogenated oils, and bakery items. Trans fat is linked to heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and other chronic illnesses.
• Saturated fat: While it isn’t as bad as trans fat, saturated fat isn’t the best for your health either. It is solid and greasy and is found in red meat, dairy, and baked products. It is known to clog arteries and cause heart disease.⁴

Good Fat Or Unsaturated Fat

• Monounsaturated fats: These fats are mostly found in foods from plant sources – such as olive oil, avocados, flax seeds, and most nuts (especially walnuts).
• Polyunsaturated fats: Polyunsaturated fats are the most important, since they’re essential for proper body functioning and can’t be produced by our body.⁵ They are mostly found in fatty fish like wild salmon, herring, trout, tuna, and mackerel.

It is recommended that one get 25–30% of their daily calories from fats of which saturated fats must be less than 10%. If you are at risk of heart disease, then saturated fat intake must be limited to 6%.⁶ Mediterranean diets are healthy because they are rich in both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.⁷

Here are 5 ways to add these healthy fats to your diet.

1. Incorporate Seeds Into Your Diet

They feature in fancy desserts, vegan meal preps, and health blogs. The health industry now calls them “superfoods.” The more popular of these include chia and flax, while options like hemp, pumpkin, sunflower, and sesame are slowly gaining popularity. Seeds are high in protein, essential vitamins and minerals, fiber, and polyunsaturated fats.

They can be sprinkled on almost anything you eat, ground and mixed to batters, and added to smoothies as well.⁸ Here’s how you can add flax seeds to your diet.

2. Say No To Refined Vegetable Oils

Refined vegetable oils contain trans fats and cause high cholesterol. Choose olive oil instead since it is rich in monounsaturated fats, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Whenever possible, opt for extra-virgin or the cold-pressed kind which are said to have more benefits than the regular kind. Unrefined vegetable oils like sunflower, canola, soybean consist of polyunsaturated fat and are also known to reduce inflammation.⁹

3. Eat Omega-3-Rich Foods

Omega-3 fats are responsible for genetic function, the production of hormones, the clotting of blood, and the steady rhythm of the heart. They are polyunsaturated fats that have to be sourced from food.¹⁰ These fats are of 3 kinds, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). A good source of EPA and DHA is seafood, while ALA is found in nuts, beans, seeds, and eggs. You could also take supplements for omega-3.¹¹

4. Snack On Nuts

Nuts are good sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Studies have shown that consuming nuts leads to lowered risks of cancer, gallstones, heart disease, and overall respiratory disease. Nuts have also shown to increase good cholesterol and decrease bad cholesterol. Since they are rich in protein and fiber, they make you feel full and prevent overeating. While peanuts and almonds are the most popular, all nuts (in moderation) are good for you. You could add them to your morning cereal, have them raw, or spread nut-butter on your toasts.^12 13

5. Give Avocados A Shot

From being the star of guacamole to leading a popular food trend called “avocado toast,” avocados have become quite popular in health food circles. They are nutrient rich and a good source of monounsaturated fats. Research links avocado consumption to lower cholesterol and risk of heart disease.¹⁴ Studies also link avocado to weight management and healthy aging.¹⁵ Here’s a look at the many health benefits avocados offer.

Healthy fats are required for your body to absorb vitamins and minerals and stay energetic. They’re vital to psychological and physiological health. They fill you up so you don’t overeat. They could even help fight the early signs of prostate cancer. Considering their benefits and how easy it is to source them, there really is no reason you shouldn’t add more fat to your daily diet.^16 17