College Health TV
We’ve been told any number of things about how to successfully diet. However, we have not been told how to diet in a way that is actually healthy. Diets can depend on many different factors, such as diabetes, allergies, autistic spectrum disorders, epilepsy, gluten sensitivity, and other medical conditions. This is why you should never start a diet without first consulting your primary care physician. Some people think that dieting simply means cutting out all fats and sweets. While it’s a very good idea to cut down on sweets and certain kinds of fats, it’s wrong to say that all fats are bad. Nothing could be further from the truth, there are good fats as well as bad fats.
Why Are Fats Important?
Fats are essentially very dense energy packets that your body needs to work properly. When you are exercising your body is actively using carbohydrates that you have eaten, but those are generally burned up in the first 20 minutes. After that, you need calories from fat to successfully continue exercising. They’ll also help you to absorb vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin K. These are vitamins that you simply can’t metabolize without fat. Moreover, fat is essential to your body’s operation since it cannot manufacture essential fatty acids on its own. These essential fatty acids assist in brain development, blood clotting, and controlling inflammation.
What Are Some Sources of Good Fats?
Not all sources of good fats come from vegetables. Let’s break down some of the best foods that are high in fat, while actually being healthy.
• Avocados are a great source of healthy fats. There are more than 70 percent fat by calories, which is higher in fat than even some animal-sourced foods. They’re rich in fiber and oleic acid, and a great source of potassium – even higher than in bananas. People who eat lots of avocados have been shown to have less belly fat, and lower cholesterol and triglycerides.
• Chocolate lovers rejoice! Dark chocolate is high in fat, but this also has 11 percent fiber per serving and contains vital nutrients such as iron and magnesium, and trace elements copper and manganese. It’s even higher in antioxidants than blueberries and has been shown to lower blood pressure. However, you will want to choose a high-quality dark chocolate that is at least 70 percent cocoa.
• The incredible egg. After so many years of being demonized, it is now known that the cholesterol in egg yolks does not affect blood cholesterol in a majority of people. It is a nutrient-dense food loaded with vitamins and minerals. Make sure to choose omega-3 enriched or pastured eggs, which are higher in nutrients than factory farm decks.
You can also add into your diet other foods such as nuts, olive oil, fatty fish, Chia seeds, full-fat yogurt and cheese, and fatty fish. You may find that with more good fats in your diet you are less tempted to cheat and consume unhealthful high-fat foods. Your blood pressure, your arteries, and your heart will thank you.
