Addition of healthy fats can provide the nourishment and energy required for keto. Some excellent examples are avocados, olive oil and full-fat dairy such as cheese, yogurt and butter.
Stay away from unhealthy fats like trans and partially hydrogenated oils that increase risk for disease while impeding weight loss. Opt instead for foods naturally low in sugar and carbs such as strawberries.
Monounsaturated Fat
Fat is an essential nutrient that plays an integral part in maintaining energy levels, absorbing certain vitamins, and helping prevent disease. Found in numerous foods and providing nine calories per gram, the type of fat consumed makes a significant impactful difference on our overall health: healthy fats support your metabolism while protecting cells against disease risks; conversely unhealthy ones increase risk for such conditions.
Fats can be divided into two broad categories: saturated and unsaturated fats. Unsaturated, or good fats, play an essential role in supporting body functions while decreasing risk for disease when consumed in moderation. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated are types of unsaturated fats; with latter featuring multiple double chemical bonds rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that our bodies don’t produce naturally.
Foods containing monounsaturated fats include vegetable oils and nuts. You may also come across them in meat and dairy products. Peanut oil is especially rich in these beneficial fats due to being made by pressing steam-cooked peanuts with heat before steam extraction – making it a highly sought after cooking oil with high smoke points that don’t quickly go rancid!
Olive oil is another great source of monounsaturated fats. With its light flavor and high heat tolerance, olive oil makes an ideal ingredient for salad dressings or marinades; additionally it can even be used in frying and sauteing applications. Avocados also contain monounsaturated fatty acids; these delicious green fruits provide lots of other essential vitamins and fiber to boot!
The National Library of Medicine reports that diets rich in monounsaturated fats may help lower cholesterol and risk factors associated with heart disease, while also improving mood and strengthening immune systems.
You should strive to limit your intake of saturated fats, which increase your risk for heart disease and promote weight gain, whenever possible. Saturated fats are found in meat, full-fat dairy and butter. In addition, trans fats found in processed and fast food products increase your risk for cardiovascular disease.
Your body needs unsaturated fats in its diet for good health; such as those found in plant sources such as rapeseed oil, avocados, olives and safflower oil. Fish like sardines, trout and mackerel may also contain such healthy sources. Nuts such as walnuts and almonds are rich sources of this healthy fat and offer other essential nutrients. Ghee is another delicious option; made by heating butter to remove milk solids and water before straining for flavor and butyrate content; perfect for supporting digestive health! Ghee can also be found in many packaged foods such as mayonnaise and salad dressings, and provides an excellent source of vitamin E, with anti-inflammatory properties and support for cardiovascular wellbeing. According to the American Heart Association, eating ghee in moderation may help boost its benefits.
Polyunsaturated Fat
Polyunsaturated fat differs from monounsaturated in that its chemical structure contains multiple double bonds, setting it apart from saturated and trans fats. Polyunsaturated fat can be found in plant-based foods like olive oil, avocados and some types of vegetable oils as well as in fish, nuts and seeds – and is considered healthy due to promoting heart health while decreasing inflammation.
These healthy fats contain omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to lower levels of “bad” cholesterol while increasing levels of HDL cholesterol – these fatty acids may even play a part in supporting brain function and may protect against depression.
Fatty fish is an excellent source of omega-3 fats. Some of the best sources include anchovies, herring, mackerel and salmon; these fish also provide protein and vitamin D. Flaxseedseed, chia seed walnuts as well as rapeseed soybean and olive oils are all other great sources.
A keto diet is loaded with omega-3 fats that can support gut health. Omega-3s can improve bacteria balance in your digestive tract and can also reduce inflammation and bloating, while eating fatty fish helps boost cholesterol levels.
Polyunsaturated fats contain fatty acids that may aid weight loss by increasing ketone bodies in your body, helping your liver burn more calories for energy while decreasing sugar and carb cravings.
Consuming more healthy fats can lower your risk of heart disease, high cholesterol and diabetes while strengthening your immunity and prolonging fullness. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids as well as soluble fiber are among the best choices to consume for this purpose.
Though saturated fats should be limited on the Keto diet, they are still permitted if eaten in moderation. Unsaturated fatty acids and healthy carbohydrates should replace them.
Unsaturated fats are more beneficial to health than their saturated counterparts, which may clog arteries and increase heart disease risk. Furthermore, unsaturated fats contain more antioxidants and other vital nutrients compared to saturated ones.
Unsaturated fats can be found in meat, whole milk and cream, ghee, coconut oil and olive oil – the latter three will also provide essential ghee. You should steer clear of trans fats that increase cholesterol levels.