Incorporating good fats into the diet is easy. They not only keep us satiated, they add a savory flavor to everything they touch.
Vegetables Oils
Most unsaturated oils are vegetable-based, so a good rule in the kitchen is to look for ways you can remove an animal-based saturated fat and replace it with a vegetable-based one. (Make sure you don’t, however, buy products that contain “partially or hydrogenated vegetable oils.” This is where the trans fats come in.) Most fats that are liquid at room temperature are unsaturated. Canola, peanut, and olive oil contain good amounts of monounsaturated fat, while sunflower, corn, soybean, and flaxseed oil contain polyunsaturated fat. Both flaxseed and canola oil contain omega-3s. A good way to switch out saturated fat for healthier fats is to dip bread in olive oil rather than butter, use vegetable oils when sautéing, and use oil in place of butter when baking.
Nuts
Nuts and seeds are another great source of healthy fats and nutrients. Almonds have antioxidants and fiber, walnuts have omega-3s, and peanut butter has monounsaturated fat. Seeds like pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower are all good choices for healthful fat and flax seeds have high amounts of omega-3s. Nuts and seeds are easy to incorporate into the diet with this nutrient packed granola, in a cool cucumber soup, or in sesame nut brown rice.
Avocados
Avocados are not only a great source of monounsaturated fat, they also contain high amount of vitamin E and are a delicious addition to sandwiches, salads, and, of course, guacamole.
Fish
Salmon, mackerel, tuna, and other cold-water fatty fish are high in omega-3 fats; the American Heart Association recommends eating them at least twice a week and they’re easy to incorporate into the diet. Try salmon with tamari-orange marmalade or butter bean, tuna, and celery salad.
While the low-fat diet craze hasn’t worked -- and has resulted in people substituting fat for artificial ingredients or empty-caloried carbohydrates -- it’s clear that eating more healthful fats, in lieu of trans and saturated, can improve health. And that’s something you can raise your fork to.
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