Almonds are a good source of healthy fats
Along with protein and carbohydrates, fats are one of the three macronutrients that supply our body with energy measured in calories. Fats are considered energy-dense at 9 calories/gram, which is more than twice the 4 calories/gram found in both protein and carbohydrates.
But even though dietary fats are relatively high in calories, they are necessary for life because they provide the essential fatty acids that our bodies can’t make. You must eat fats to help absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, and beneficial phytochemicals such as beta-carotene from the foods you eat.
A healthy diet should contain between 20 and 35 percent fat, ideally from whole plant foods, while minimizing or eliminating sources of saturated and trans fats, which promote disease. Here’s a list of which fats you should add to and subtract from your diet:
Eat more of these healthy fats:
Monounsaturated fats: This type of fat can reduce harmful LDL cholesterol and the risk of heart disease. Good sources of monounsaturated fat include avocados, olives and, in very small quantities, the oils derived from them. Add avocado slices to salads, tacos, and sandwiches as a substitute for creamy salad dressings or for mayonnaise made with egg yolks.
Polyunsaturated fats: The polyunsaturated omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are the essential fatty acids. The human body can’t make them, yet they are essential for our survival and optimal health, so we have to obtain them from the foods we eat. Good sources of polyunsaturated fats include nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils such as sunflower and safflower oils, which are liquid at room temperature. Vegetable oils are highly processed and have 130 kcal per tablespoon, so you should minimize the amount you consume. Polyunsaturated fats can improve lipid profiles when consumed in moderation in lieu of saturated or trans fats in the diet. Still, excess consumption of the omega-6 linoleic acid (LA) can promote inflammation in the body. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), on the other hand, is a beneficial, anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acid found in walnuts, ground flaxseeds, hempseeds and chia seeds. One tablespoon of ground flaxseeds will provide your daily requirement for ALA. Through a series of chemical reactions, the body can convert a small percentage of the ALA we consume to the necessary longer-chain fatty acids DHA and EPA.
Avoid these harmful fats:
Saturated fats: These are found in all foods sourced from animals, such as beef, poultry, pork, cheese, butter, eggs, milk and ice cream. Plant-based sources of saturated fat include palm oil, palm kernel oil and coconut oil. Although coconut oil contains some medium chain triglycerides, which may have some health benefits, coconut oil is comprised mainly of saturated fat and is calorie-dense. Saturated fats raise both total and LDL cholesterol levels, which boost the risk of heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends a diet with less than seven percent of calories from saturated fat, so a 2,000 calorie diet should contain no more than 120 calories or 13 grams daily.
Trans fats: Originally created as a healthier alternative to saturated fats, research has shown that trans fats are even more harmful in terms of promoting heart disease. Trans fats are produced when hydrogen is added to liquid oil to make it solid like margarine. They’re often listed on the food ingredient list as partially hydrogenated oil. A Nutrition Facts labeling loophole allows food companies to list the trans fat content of a food as zero if it contains less than 0.5 mg trans fat per serving, so it’s important to search for hydrogenated oil on the ingredient list. Many people consume more than one serving of a food, so their intake of trans fats can add up over time. Finally, mono- and di-glycerides may contain trans fats, but they’re exempt from being labeled as trans fats, so be sure to search for these on the ingredient list.
A note about Phytosterols:
Although phytosterols are not fats, these plant phytochemicals have a molecular structure similar to cholesterol, so they can block the absorption of dietary cholesterol in the intestinal tract. Foods that are high in saturated fats and trans fats have been shown to increase blood cholesterol levels. Research shows that eating 2 grams of plant sterols daily can reduce total cholesterol levels up to 10 percent and LDL cholesterol levels up to 14 percent. Phytosterols can be found in less than therapeutic amounts in foods such as vegetable oils, nuts, whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables. This is why some processed foods such as Minute Maid Heart Wise Orange Juice, Benecol and Promise Activ spreads have been fortified with higher amounts of 0.5 gm to 1.0 gm of plant sterols or stanols per serving. But these spreads with 70 calories per tablespoon may add more calories than desired if weight loss is your goal.