Fats - Weight Loss and Health Perspective

Cutting all the fat out of diet seems to be a popular weight loss theme. However many studies showed that people on low fat diets actually gain weight. When you cut a macronutrient out of diet you have to replace it with something else and the replacements for fat in our diet are usually simple carbohydrates such as white flour, sugar, refined foods that are unhealthy and cause weight gain.

The key to weight loss and good health is not cutting fats, proteins or carbs out of diet but rather replacing them with their healthier alternatives that do not cause weight gain and health problems.

What kind of fats we should consume and what we need to avoid?

There are four types of fats - saturated fats, trans fats, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats.

Eat less of saturated fats. Those are contained in dairy products and red meat. Consume low fat dairy products and reduce the consumption of butter and meat.

Avoid trans fats completely. Also avoid hydrogenated and partially-hydrogenated oils. Partially hydrogenated oils contain trans fats while fully hydrogenated oils are almost trans fat free but contain saturated fat. These are usually used in restaurants for deep frying and in commercial baking. Read labels when you do grocery shopping to avoid these.

Consume monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These should constitute 20-30% of your daily caloric intake if you want to be healthy and lose weight. Olive oil contains the monounsaturated fat. Use it in your coking, salads and dressings.

Consume essential fatty acids (EFAs). These are polyunsaturated fats and essential for health. EFAs are Omega-3 and Omega-6. The sources of Omega-6 are seeds and nuts as well as oils made from them - for example, sunflower seeds and sunflower oil. They also contain important vitamins and minerals. Usually we get enough Omega-6 in our diet but insufficient quantity of Omega-3. Sources of Omega-3 are fish and flaxseed.

Another beneficial fat to include in your diet is extra virgin coconut oil. Because it contains saturated fat it was regarded as an unhealthy one. However recent studies discovered that it is actually a beneficial fat that can promote weight loss.

Instead of cutting fat out of diet replace unhealthy fats with their healthy alternatives. This way you'll be able to lose weight, maintain your ideal weight and be healthy.

For More Related Topics Blog: Diets That Work Fast

For More Related Topics Blog: Diets That Work Fast