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Still, youve probably heard the termhealthy fatsthrown around, but what does that really mean?
Getty/Claudia Totir
Its only relatively recently that people have started to acknowledge that the macronutrient has some serious positives to offer.
Heres what you oughta know.
First of all, our bodies need fat for optimal health.
Our livers produce some fats, but we also have to eat certain fats to function.
Thats because not all types of fats affect your body the same way.
Saturated fats, unsaturated fats, and trans fats all function differently within your body.
Other sources include nuts, seeds, and avocados.
Instead, consider monounsaturated fats part of a well-rounded fat portfolio.
The rest should come from a mix of monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats.
Good sources include walnuts and sunflower seeds.
For alpha-linolenic acid, its 1.1 to 1.6 grams per day.
you’re able to find this key in of fat in flax seeds or flax oil.
(You may see them listed as ingredients like corn oil or soybean oil.)
Foods rich in these fats, such as butter and coconut oil, are often solid at room temperature.
Unlike the prior types of fat, saturated fat is easy to spot because its listed on food labels.
They also may play a role innon-alcoholic fatty liver diseasea growing concern around the world.
The AHA recommends no more than 5-6% of daily calories come from saturated fat.
Its also likely that there is more to tease out regarding the relationship between saturated fat and disease.
One relatively new way of thinking?
All sources of saturated fat may not affect your body in the same way.
(Your gut doesnt make them, however.)
Thats thepartially hydrogenated oilthat you may have heard about.
This process helps extend the shelf life of foods and give them a smooth texture.
However, it comes with some serious drawbacks.
The good news is that the FDA has phased out industrially produced trans fats over the past few years.
(They also had until January 2021 for the foods to work their way through distribution.)
Consider how everything you eat fits together, says Dr. Goss.
