5 Tips For Choosing Fatty Foods That Are Good For Health

Illustration of tips for choosing and knowing the health benefits of fat (Unsplash/Chan Walrus)

JAKARTA – Fat is a nutrient needed by the body. Its function is as a supplier of energy to absorb vitamins, protect the heart, and brain health. But if the abdominal circumference widens and fat accumulates, it will be a health risk. So, knowledge is needed to sort out which fats are healthy and bad for daily consumption.

Reported by Help Guide Org., Wednesday, February 9, here are tips that you can use as a reference in sorting fats that are beneficial for health.

1. Identify monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats

Types of fat 'good' known as monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat. Called good because it supports heart health, cholesterol, and overall health. Both types of fat help to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, lower bad LDL cholesterol levels, increase HDL, prevent abnormal heart rhythms, lower triglycerides, treat low blood pressure, and prevent hardening and narrowing of blood vessels.

These healthy fats also help you feel full longer, thereby promoting weight loss. Monounsaturated fats include avocados, nuts such as almonds, peanuts, macadamia, hazelnuts, and cashews.

While food sources with polyunsaturated fats include tofu, soy milk, walnuts, sesame, fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, trout, herring, and sardines.

Illustration of tips for choosing and knowing the benefits of fat for health (Unsplash/Viktor Tasnadi)

2. Avoid 'bad' fats

Not all trans fats are considered harmful. Small amounts of naturally occurring trans fats can be found in meat and dairy products. It's just that this type of fat not only increases bad cholesterol but also lowers good HDL levels. Moreover, artificial trans fats can trigger inflammation and are associated with heart disease, stroke, and contribute to insulin resistance which increases the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Foods that contain artificial fats include commercially baked pastries such as donuts, pizza dough, cakes, muffins. In addition, packaged snacks, margarine, fried foods also contain artificial trans fats from partially hydrogenated oils.

3. Limit saturated fat consumption

Saturated fat can increase bad LDL cholesterol. While it's not necessary to eliminate all saturated fat from your diet, most nutritionists recommend limiting it to 10 percent of your daily calories. The main sources of saturated fat include red meat (beef, lamb, pork), chicken skin, whole fat dairy products (milk, cream, cheese), butter, ice cream, coconut oil, and palm oil.

4. Live a healthy diet

Instead of counting fat drams obsessively, you can stick to a healthy diet that includes foods rich in vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, and two or more weekly servings of fatty fish, little red meat, and only the occasional fry. It's also okay to occasionally eat processed foods, but stay within limits.

5. Eat omega-3 fats every day

Omega-3 fats are found in vegetable fats such as walnuts, flaxseed, canola oil, and soybean oil. In addition, vegetable fats can also turn your salad dressing into a healthier one. Do not forget, avoid snacks that contain flour or simple fiber. Choose snacks that are high in complex fiber.