5 Reasons To Eat More (Healthy) Fats (Plus A Recipe)

 

There are so many benefits for including more healthy fats into your diet! Its important to include a variety of sources as they all offer a variety of benefits e.g. nuts, seeds, avocado, olive oil, coconut oil, grass-fed butter and oily fish.

We sourced 5 key reasons to eat more fats, including saturated fats to show you just how important they really are:

1. Improved cardiovascular risk factors

Fats plays a key role in cardiovascular health. The addition of saturated fat to the diet reduces the levels of a substance called lipoprotein (a) that correlates strongly with risk for heart disease. Research has shown that when women diet, those eating the greatest percentage of the total fat in their diets as saturated fat, lose the most weight.

2. Stronger bones

Fat is required for calcium to be effectively incorporated into bone as key bone-building vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble, meaning they rely on fats to be absorbed and transported within the body. According to one of the foremost research experts in dietary fats and human health, Dr. Mary Enig, Ph.D., there’s a case to be made for having as much as 50 percent of the fats in your diet as saturated fats for this reason!

3. Healthy lungs

For proper function, the airspaces of the lungs have to be coated with a thin layer of lung surfactant. The fat content of lung surfactant is 100 percent saturated fatty acids. Replacement of these critical fats by other types of fat makes faulty surfactant and potentially causes breathing difficulties.

4.  Healthy brain

Your brain is mainly made of fat and cholesterol. The lion’s share of the fatty acids in the brain are actually saturated. A diet that skimps on healthy saturated fats robs your brain of the raw materials it needs to function optimally. Plus consuming omega-3 EPA and DHA fatty acids from oily fish, grass-fed beef and certain nuts and seeds supports memory and is critical for overall brain function. 

5. Proper nerve signaling

Certain fats, particularly those found in butter, coconut oil, and oily fish are necessary for proper nerve function and protection. These nerves influence everything in the body from metabolism and muscle movement to the appropriate release of insulin. There are so many more reasons to eat healthy fats daily, but as you can see with just these 5, consuming a healthy diet that includes a range of fats is important for so many critical bodily functions

Kick-start your day with this delicious Walnut Avocado Lime Pie Smoothie for 1! 

• 1/2  ripe avocado
• 1/2  small banana
• 3/4  cup cold water
• 1/3 cup walnuts (crumbs or halves)
• 1/3 cup coconut milk (reduced fat)
• 2 tbsp honey
• Juice from 1 lime

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth for about 1 minute.

What are your favorite sources of healthy fats?

Source: FoodMatters