Diet Information

Healthy Fats For Good Health

June 23, 2009
By J White

Even though excess fats cause problems everywhere from obesity to heart conditions, they are still crucial for a well functioning body. Therefore you still need to supply your body with healthy fats to maintain optimal health.

Benefits of Fats

Some positive aspect or benefits of fats are that they are essential in maintaining the proper functioning of your brain. For instance omega 3 fatty acids has been shown to improve memory and help to relieve stress and improve your mood.

Despite the detrimental effects fats can have on your heart, fatty acids are still a primary source of fuel for your heart. The reason for this is that with every beat of your heart, fat energy is being burned to power this action.

Fat also helps with satiety. It does this by releasing hormones that signal to your body the feeling of fullness. This helps to control food intake and may serve to prevent overeating.

Healthy Fats

To make sure your body is taking advantage of the benefits of fats, you need to supply it with healthy fats. These are the unsaturated variety, including monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. As well as supplying fuel, these types of fats help protect against cardiovascular disease, lower cholesterol and provide protection against insulin resistance.

Unsaturated fats also include essential fatty acids. These are fats that the body require, but cannot be produced chemically within your body. Therefore, you have to get them from your diet. Studies have shown that they have far reaching benefits such as reducing the risk from certain types of cancer to helping to improve immune functions.

Healthy Fat Sources

Olive oil, canola oil, Sunflower oil, peanuts, and almonds are all good sources of fat. Seafood, in particular fish, has been shown to supply a high amount of the essential omega fatty acids.

How Much Fat

The recommended amount of healthy fats should compose no more than 30 percent of your diet. However, a lower amount of 20 percent is better. By limiting your fat intake to these amounts, you can reduce your chances of becoming overweight and more importantly, obese.

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