Eating Healthy Fat Supports Good Heart Health

For most people following a Western diet, a higher intake of carbohydrates keeps insulin levels high all the time and keeps fat safely deposited in your fat cells. Your body can still access these deposits and adapt to burning fat instead of carbs for fuel. A healthy menu plan should keep your body fueled and energized. That's why the new wave of weight loss specialists advocate a satiating diet with nutrient-dense foods rather than severely limit the calories you consume.

Dietary Fats Are Important Macronutrients

It is important to cut back on saturated fats in your diet. But, it is more important to replace them with the right foods. Substituting butter with olive oil can help lower cholesterol and reduce your risk for chronic diseases. Fat is a macronutrient like protein and carbohydrates. Nowadays, scientists understand that your body needs some fat for energy, to absorb vitamins and to protect your heart and brain health.

Good fats come mainly from vegetables, nuts, seeds and fish. They differ from saturated fats and are liquid at room temperature. Foods rich in linoleic acid and other omega-6 fatty acids include vegetable oils such as safflower, soybean, sunflower, walnut and corn oils. Dietary fat also plays a major role in maintaining healthy cholesterol levels and is needed by the body to function properly.

Don't Let Overly Processed Food Products Wreck Your Diet

If you follow food trends, you might think you have to fall in love with toasted kale to reap the benefits that dark green veggies have to offer; but that is not the case. You can eat a balanced menu and enjoy the natural goodness of many whole foods seasoned to perfection. Since fiber helps to fill you up, following a menu plan that adds more fiber to your diet can help you lose weight nearly as well as a more complex approach. Just build your menus with well-seasoned natural, not overly processed, foods.