Healthy Fats: Understanding Their Benefits And Sources
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The popular advice you might usually hear when it comes to weight loss is to reduce your carbohydrate and fat intake. While this is a good piece of advice, it is not the whole story. You must remember that not all foods high in fat and carbohydrates will make you gain weight. You must learn to differentiate between healthy and unhealthy fats when it comes to weight gain. There are several forms of fat that are advantageous to your body in general as well as to weight loss. Some fats are known as healthy fats because they take longer to absorb and, hence, help you stay "full and focused." You can manage your appetite and avoid overeating if you consume healthy fats in moderation. Your metabolism also depends on healthy fat. Therefore, eating fat accelerates the rate at which you burn fat.

Healthy Fats Vs. Unhealthy Fats

Healthy fats are also known as unsaturated fats. They help lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases and high blood cholesterol. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are the two main types of unsaturated fats. These have slightly varying health advantages as a result of their different chemical structures. Monounsaturated fats are found in avocados, some nuts, such as cashews and almonds, some seeds, and peanut butter. They are also found in olive, canola, sesame, safflower, and peanut oils. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are both essential polyunsaturated fatty acids that the human body needs but cannot produce on its own. Omega-3 fatty acids are important for brain function, growth and development, inflammation control, and heart health. They can also help lower triglycerides, reduce the risk of heart disease, and improve mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. And they are usually present in oily fish, walnuts, chia seeds, and soyabeans. Omega-6 fatty acids are involved in regulating metabolism, maintaining bone health, and stimulating hair and skin growth. They also play a role in brain function and hormone production and are present in foods including almonds, sunflower seeds, soyabeans, and sesame oils.

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Saturated fats, on the other hand, are those types of fats in which the fatty acid chains have only single bonds. Consuming too much saturated fat might result in a buildup of cholesterol in your arteries (blood vessels). Your LDL (bad) cholesterol is increased by saturated fats. Your risk of heart disease and stroke may increase if you have high LDL cholesterol.

Here are some foods rich in healthy fats that are not harmful:

Ghee

It contains a lot of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, particularly conjugated linolenic acid (CLA), which aids with weight control.

Walnuts

They have alpha-linolenic acid and polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs), which support weight loss. They may also trigger a part of the brain that regulates our hunger.

Coconut oil

Coconut oil is known for increasing metabolism and lowering cholesterol. This oil includes medium-chain fatty acids, which promote fat loss. It boosts metabolism and suppresses appetite.

Olive oil

Olives have a low-calorie density and, if eaten in moderation, can help with weight loss. Healthy monounsaturated fats found in olive oil have a number of advantages for your body.

Flax seeds

They include a lot of fibre, omega-3 fatty acids, and lignans, a plant component having anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.