Fats That Help Fight Fat

Really, Eat Fats And Lose Weight?

By and large, there's a stigma against fat in general. However, as we learn more about how our bodies process foods, it's apparent that not all fats are bad. Some can actually help you to lose weight and maintain a healthy body mass. However, it's important to know what types of fat to include in your daily diet and which to stringently avoid.

What contributes most to weight retention and metabolic distress is a diet high in processed simple carbohydrates, low in fiber and high in hydrogenated fats. Let's examine some of the different lipids naturally available that should take starring roles in your grocery lists from now on.

While many healthy fats are known to anyone with some interest in fitness, one of the most effective fats that can aid in weight loss is virtually unknown. Interestingly, this fat is popular in the bodybuilding circles for helping bodybuilders get ripped.

Good Fats Vs Bad Fats: The Difference

Body fat is created as a storage mechanism for excess calories that don't go to further your daily energy needs. This is completely different from the fat you consume from plant and animal sources—dietary fat.

Eating healthy fats won't add to your waistline unless you're simply eating too much food. Chances are, if you've resolved to streamline your figure, you're also dedicated to streamlining your eating habits, which is fantastic. Let's start with the good news.

The Good Fats You Want

There are two major groups of fat that you want to include in your diet—monounsaturated fat (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) both of which are derived from a number of sources. MUFAs have been shown to help reduce blood serum cholesterol levels and aid in the control of blood sugar levels and insulin resistance—common features of Type II diabetes. This also helps non-diabetics use more of the nutrients they consume and results is far less fat storage.


PUFAs also act to reduce cholesterol levels in the blood, and are primarily plant-based in their origin, such as Omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-3 is a PUFA derived mainly from fatty types of fish that is thought to be especially beneficial to heart and metabolic health. Because these are mainly found in oils, they'll be mostly liquid at room temperature if they have been extracted and purified—like olive oil or safflower oil.

Whole Foods With Healthy Fats

Whenever possible, nutritionists encourage you to eat whole foods in order to lose weight. But what sorts of foods contain healthy fats? Below, we'll cover some of the many varieties of fresh, healthy foods that will help you fight excess body fat.

While the Mayo Clinic advises that you make these fats about 25 to 35 percent of your daily caloric intake, all fats require nine calories per gram of heat energy to burn. In other words, they “contain” nine calories per gram. Seeds and nuts are a great source of PUFA. Foods like hummus, guacamole, and fermented (traditional) tofu are fantastic additions to your daily round.


Alpha Linoleic Acid (ALA) is an omega-3 fatty acid found in plants. Its animal counterparts are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Recent research indicates that all of these omega-3 fatty acids aid in reducing inflammation, improving cardiac function, and reducing triglycerides in your blood—which can contribute largely to success in weight loss.

Monounsaturated fats do many of the same wonderful things, and contribute to neurological health, blood-clotting regulation, and may even help to prevent strokes. Below is a brief list to help you get started.

• Avocados
• Raw, unsalted seeds and nuts
• Corn, olive, safflower, sunflower, and walnut oils
• Soybeans and fermented soy products
• Fatty fish (Mackerel, Salmon, Tuna)
• Chick peas
• Olives
• Foods rich in vitamin E, D, and K (Oil-soluble vitamins)

By eating a balanced diet rich in whole and relatively unprocessed foods, incorporating fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein, and complex carbohydrates, you'll be on your way to a healthier, leaner body.

While not all saturated fats are bad, such as animal fat—eat them in moderation. Seek to replace those fats as much as possible with healthy oils, rich seeds and nuts, and delicious foods high in PUFA and MUFA content, including fatty fish. When you do this, you give your body the tools it needs to build healthy body mass and begin dismantling the nuclear arsenal of excess body fat.

Next, find out about perhaps the most popular and effective healthy fat in the fitness industry today and how you can easily make use of it. Click here now.


Resources:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fat/art-20045550
http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/alphalinolenic-acid
http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-truth-about-fats-bad-and-good