WHAT ARE HEALTHY FATS & HOW MUCH CAN YOU HAVE PER DAY?
Updated: Apr 26
Learn how to recognise whether the fats in your food are good for you and why it is important to incorporate healthy fats in your diet. Your mouth will thank you!
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO IDENTIFY WHAT KIND OF FATS ARE PRESENT IN YOUR FOOD?
Fat consumption has been associated for a very long time with weight gain, thus many people (especially women) try to avoid them and substitute them with foods which are often worse for their health.
On the side it is true that fats are high caloric and you need to watch how much fat you can, but the good news is that not all fats in food are bad for you. Healthy fats are actually very important not only necessary for brain functions but are also the building block for hormones!
Therefore, if you are experiencing problems with your ovulation, make sure to keep reading and understand what are healthy fats so you can incorporate them into your diet! Healthy fats keep the body warm, skin and arteries supple and insulate nerve cells.
WHAT ARE HEALTHY FATS AND WHERE CAN I FIND THEM?
1) Essential Polyunsaturated fats. These are necessary for building healthy hormones and prostaglandins, which regulate hormones and aid fertility.
Where can I find Essential Polyunsaturated fats?
Nuts - almonds, brazils, cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts
Seeds - pumpkin, sesame, sunflower, flaxseeds
Oily fish - mackerel, salmon, sardines, herrings
A lack of essential polyunsaturated fats may be seen in:
- dry skin and cracked heels and fingertips
- dry eyes
- brittle nails
- loss of hair/dandruff
- frequent infection and poor wound healing
- poor memory
- PMS/ breast pain/ infertility
- excessive thirst
- craving
- difficulty to lose weight
How often shall I eat Essential Polyunsaturated fats? These are healthy fats and they are fundamental for regulating your cycle, for getting pregnant and for the development of your baby, thus try to include them every day in your diet.
2) Non-essential Monosaturated fats such as olive and peanut oil. Monosaturated fats are good for you but very caloric so try to use them moderately.
3) Non-essential fats (founded in animals, eggs, butter, cheese) - try to use them sparingly
WHAT FATS SHALL I AVOID AND WHERE CAN I FIND THEM?
1) Saturated fats are found in red meat and dairy. Saturated fats produce hormones which are inflammatory, causing swelling and pain and often can be linked to endometriosis, period pain so try to limit them as much as you can.
2) Hydrogenated (trans) fats (such as margarine) have to be avoided! These are highly processed fats that are more similar to plastic rather than food!
3) Fat-free products also need to be avoided. In order to improve the taste, this kind of products often contains a lot of artificial sweeteners, which are like poisons for the body!
We look forward to hearing your thoughts about this article! We hope you have now a better idea of how to incorporate more healthy fats into your diet and be conscious of how much fats you can have per day!
