5 Healthy Fats to Enjoy Daily
By Sandy Schroeder
Most of us are backing off of saturated fats, but we may waiver when it comes too healthy fats. Nutritionists say not all unsaturated fats are equal. Some are a lot more beneficial than others. The trick is to eat the best ones.
Zeroing in on the best just makes good diet sense. Dr. Mark Hyman, author of Food: What the Heck Should I Cook? names the good fat foods in WellAndGood.com that we should all be eating.
Enjoy olive oil's nutrients and flavors - Keep sampling olive oils until you find the flavor that you like. Use it to replace unhealthy vegetable oils to get a lot of omega-3's and antioxidants that fight inflammation. Mix olive oil with your favorite vinegars and seasonings to dress a salad, and use it to saute fish, poultry and lean meats. Or make a delicious pasta, using olive oil mixed with Parmesan cheese and garlic to create fettuccine. Grill a mixed plate of carrots, red pepper strips, onion, and celery with olive oil to serve as a side dish for dinner.
Keep avocados on hand - Depend on avocados to reduce your cholesterol and add a healthy helping of fiber to your diet. Avocados also provide Vitamins C, E, K and B-6, plus magnesium, potassium and omega-3 fatty acids. Serve mashed avocado on toast, mix it into dips, and use it to top tacos or burritos. Fill avocado halves with shrimp or tuna salad and slice avocado into your salads and sandwiches.
Include grass-fed meats - Get the iron, protein and healthy fats your body needs with lean grass-fed meats. Grill or saute the meats with peppers and onions or fresh spinach and seasonings.
Sample lots of nuts - Topping the list of good fats, walnuts, almonds, pecans and macadamia nuts can easily fit into your diet. Set out bowls of peanuts and almonds in place of chips or pretzels for snacks. Pack bags of your favorite nuts to take to work and take on hikes on the weekend. Chop walnuts into your salads and enjoy all of the nut butters on toast.
Serve wild salmon for dinner - Fatty fish like salmon, herring, mackerel and sardines deliver needed omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin D. Serve them for lunch, supper and snacks. Saute or grill mackerel for dinner and serve sardines on water crackers for appetizers.
Keep looking for more ways to serve these healthy fats to enjoy the boost in nutrients.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in.San Antonio, Tex.