If you’ve been working on making some improvements in your fat loss diet plan, one thing that you must give some serious consideration is which healthy fat rich foods you’re consuming. So many people come to believe that they should be eliminating all fats from their menu, but this isn’t the case at all.
In fact, healthy fats can improve the rate of progress you see because they’ll help to decrease your hunger level, stabilized blood sugar, and make sure that your body is functioning optimally. They are more calorie dense than proteins and carbs, however, so portion control will be a must.
As long as you are making sure to control your serving sizes, the following four healthy fat sources will make for a terrific addition to your plan. Most people get into the habit of relying on olive oil and almonds all the time, but these are great to shake things up and add variety to the mix.
1. Flaxseeds
The first form of healthy fat to add into your diet plan is flaxseeds. Flaxseeds are fantastic because not only are they rich in unsaturated fats, but they also contain the omega fat variety, which is absolutely critical for your overall health. Omega fats will help your body in a number of ways, including to promote a strong heart, improve brain function, lower your body fat composition, and boost your immune system.
They are one fat that you can’t afford to miss out on.
In addition to that, flaxseeds are also rich in dietary fiber content as well, so they are great for calming your appetite and making sure that you aren’t snacking when you shouldn’t.
Try adding flaxseeds to a bowl of yogurt, into protein shakes, or even just sprinkling over a salad instead.
2. Coconut
The next healthy fat to add into the plan is coconut. Coconut is high in medium chain triglycerides, which are slightly different than the typical fat variety since they can be used readily as an energy source by the body. With most fats, the processing time to convert them into usable energy is slightly longer, but MCT act more like carbohydrates once they enter your system.
For this reason, anyone who is following a lower carb diet plan will definitely enjoy the benefits this type of fat has to offer.
Coconut is rich in saturated fat, but keep in mind that MCTS are not harmful to your health like typical saturated fat is. Coconut can actually help to improve your blood cholesterol profiles and boost heart health while it’s at it.
Coconut is also great since it adds a very unique taste to your dishes, so it is going to be something to consider trying out when food boredom strikes.
You can either use coconut oil, coconut milk, or shredded dried coconut to incorporate this fat into your diet plan, so there are plenty of options here.
If you are going to be using dried coconut, you’ll want to use the unsweetened variety so that you aren’t taking in a high amount of sugar with it is as well.
Dried coconut works perfect for adding into baked goods such as protein muffins or squares. Coconut oil can be used for salad dressings, for preparing your main course protein source, or just used for any other dish you’re preparing where this flavor will blend nicely with the others.
3. Avocado
Avocado is the next healthy fat that you should be adding to your diet to help liven it up and get good nutrition in. This is one of the only fruits that actually contains healthy fats, so is far different from most fruits out there.
You’ll also get a good dose of fiber as well as antioxidants with avocado, making it a perfect choice for adding to your meals. The great thing about avocado is that it adds a very creamy texture to dishes, so can easily be used to replace butter in many situations.
For example, sliced avocado works perfectly on sandwiches or in wraps where you would normally use butter or high fat mayonnaise.
Many people also enjoy adding avocado to their salads, or they’ll prepare it into a dip format to serve with raw veggies or fruit.
However you want to serve it, it’s a great addition to a healthy diet plan and is especially good for those who have nut allergies and can’t eat that form of healthy fat.
4. Chia Seeds
Finally, the last type of healthy fats to add to your diet plan is chia seeds. These are a newer fat that many people aren’t even really aware of yet, but that do offer excellent health benefits.
Chia seeds are very high in a number of nutrients including dietary fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, as well as numerous antioxidants that will help to ward off free radical damage in the body.
Chia seeds also contain a small dose of protein as well, which is great for those who are vegetarian or are simply struggling to get enough in their daily diet plan. Protein is also important for keeping blood sugar levels balanced, so by adding these to primary carb-rich meals, you can maintain your body on a more even keel.
Chia seeds work great added into salads, sprinkled into stir-fries, or just added into any baked goods that you happen to be preparing.
So there you have some of the primary healthy fats that you should consider adding to your diet plan. If you make smart choices and make sure that you measure out your servings so that you’re not taking in an overabundance of calories, these will all be great additions to your diet.
Remember when setting up your diet that your carbohydrate and healthy fat intake must be balanced, so generally speaking, the more carbs you have the fewer fats you’ll eat and vice versa. Keep that in mind as you set up your plan.
