SACRAMENTO, Calif. — In the 80's and 90's the low-fat, fat-free diets and products had a big boom. We were made to believe that fat is bad. But what we didn't realize is that while food companies were pulling the fat out from these products, they were adding in more sugar.
Saturated fat is a fat we should be cautious of as it's shown to raise cholesterol and cause inflammation along with other health issues.
It's not true that all fat makes us fat. A study done on obesity, published in the International Journal of Obesity and featured in the National Library of Medicine, shows how weight-loss was achieved by eating healthy fats and showed that the participants actually lost more weight compared to people on a low-fat diet.
Healthy fats also come with a lot of health benefits, and they help us absorb more nutrients from the meals we're eating.
Nutritionists' research has shown that when healthy fats are present the body absorbs more of the vitamins and minerals from the other foods present.
For instance, if you eat a salad with a fat-free dressing and no other fats in it, your body won't get all the benefits from the vegetables and other items in your salad.
Avocado is one of the best fats that we can eat. In a study from the American Heart Association, avocados lowered bad cholesterol, reduced inflammation and was found to have anti-cancerous properties.
Nuts are another great source of healthy fats. I like to add some walnuts to my salad or just have a handful of nuts or peanut butter with fruit for a snack.
Adding seeds like hemp seeds and flaxseeds to smoothies is another way to ensure you're absorbing all the nutrients and you get the other health benefits that come from seeds.
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