A nutritious keto diet contains specific fats that have been proven to promote optimal health and facilitate weight loss. Meal planning must be considered carefully, but selecting appropriate fats will help you reach ketosis quickly.
Stock up on these 10 nutritious fats – including tallow, lard, ghee, butter, eggs, fatty fish, cheese and avocado!
Monounsaturated fat
Keto diets rely heavily on getting adequate amounts of healthy fats. While some may fear too much will clog their arteries, healthy fats can actually help protect heart health while keeping mind sharp. While it is important to limit harmful saturated and trans fats consumption, there are healthy alternatives available as alternatives.
Both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats can be found in plant foods and are liquid at room temperature but solidify in the refrigerator, like peanut, canola and olive oils, avocados, nut butters and salad dressings.
Both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are beneficial to cardiovascular health when consumed in moderation, though. Eating them regularly may help lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels while protecting against cardiovascular disease; they also aid in absorption of fat-soluble vitamins as well as increasing levels of HDL cholesterol, which has cardiovascular benefits.
These fats offer many advantages to our diets. Not only can they serve as replacements for saturated and trans fats, they contain vitamin E – an anti-oxidant which protects cells against free radical damage caused by free radicals – and may reduce blood pressure and cholesterol. Furthermore, MUFAs may help protect against Alzheimer’s disease as well as other neurological disorders.
Dietary fat intake can be an ongoing challenge among Americans, but there are effective solutions available for adding essential MUFAs into your diet. As little as an ounce or two of healthy MUFAs may provide your body with essential nutrition necessary for optimal health.
Nuts, avocados and vegetable oils are excellent sources of MUFAs. While animal sources also contain some MUFAs, their effects are usually inferior. Fatty meats should be consumed sparingly as too much may contain carcinogens that could harm health.
MUFAs are essential to healthy keto, but selecting the appropriate ones is critical. When selecting fats, avoid overly processed versions like generic vegetable oils with GMO ingredients that contain Omega-6 fatty acids that could potentially aggravate inflammation. Instead, choose high-quality and natural fats like avocado and extra virgin olive oil as alternative choices.
Polyunsaturated fat
Fat is an integral component of the keto diet. It provides energy in the form of calories while simultaneously helping regulate blood sugar levels. Many people have misconceptions about what kinds of fat to consume – often worrying that unhealthy ones will clog their arteries – but healthy fats are essential for overall good health; one 2016 study discovered unsaturated fats may even reduce risks of heart disease!
Polyunsaturated fat is a type of healthy fat composed of multiple double bonds. Due to its liquid state at room temperature, polyunsaturated fat makes an excellent replacement for saturated fat in baked goods and has been shown to lower triglycerides, improve heart health, prevent oxidative damage and fight inflammation in the body. Plus, heat stability means it can even be used in fried foods without altering their flavor or texture!
Nuts, seeds and vegetable oils are excellent sources of polyunsaturated fats for heart health. These foods are packed with Omega-3 fatty acids essential for good heart health, fiber and other beneficial plant compounds that boost our wellbeing. It’s best to avoid highly processed polyunsaturates such as generic vegetable oils which could contain pro-inflammatory Omega-6 fatty acids that could have serious implications on overall wellbeing.
Fish is another good source of polyunsaturated fats. Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish can help to improve heart health, lower cholesterol, blood pressure, protect brain function, and stave off dementia; they’re even great at protecting from ageing! But it is best to opt for unprocessed varieties instead of breaded and deep-fried varieties.
Plant-based foods offer another source of PUFAs, including vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Chia and flax seeds contain omega-3 fatty acid ALA which is essential to overall health benefits such as improved mood and brain function; reduced inflammation/depression levels as well as lowering your risk for cancer; plus they can help you stay full for longer! You can easily find these items at grocery stores or online.
Trans fats
Fat is an integral component of the Keto diet. By restricting carbs, blood sugar and insulin levels are kept under control, and your liver receives the signal to utilize fat as fuel – known as ketosis. To maintain ketosis, most of your calories must come from fat sources; fat has minimal effect on insulin levels making it an excellent choice for fueling your body with energy while providing long-term satisfaction and an appetite-satiating macronutrient source.
But not all fats are created equal. Some fats, such as saturated and trans fats, can be detrimental to health while others such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated are good. You should limit your consumption of trans-fat containing foods but choose those containing natural single-ingredient fats such as avocados, olive oil or nut butters for best results.
Trans fats are produced via hydrogenation, which turns liquid oils into solids for use in processed food products like baked goods, margarine, cookies and fries as well as many fast foods. Hydrogenation also makes processed food last longer but shouldn’t be done so at the expense of our health. They’re found in baked goods, margarine, cookies fries and many fast foods – something hydrogenation cannot do.
Artificial trans fats have been linked with an increased risk of heart disease, obesity and diabetes as well as Alzheimer’s and dementia. Furthermore, artificial trans fats may cause other health issues including inflammation, oxidative stress and hormone imbalance.
Polyunsaturated fats are heart-healthy and can be found in nuts, seeds, vegetable oils and salmon. These heat-stable fats tend to remain liquid at room temperature but become hard when exposed to cold temperatures; furthermore they contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids which contribute to maintaining cardiovascular wellbeing.
Saturated fats are also beneficial, and can be found in meats, dairy products, coconut oil and cheese. But since saturated fats don’t compare favorably with unsaturated ones, they should only be consumed occasionally to limit weight gain and raise cholesterol levels.
For optimal nutrition, choose whole food sources of healthy fats such as vegetables, fruits, organic meats and legumes. Also check labels on packaged products to make sure they do not contain unhealthy trans fats; although FDA has banned their industrial production but some companies still use them in food products.
Meat
Fat is an essential element of the Keto diet, yet many individuals fear consuming too much. They fear a high-fat diet may cause them to gain weight or clog their arteries; however, a few tips can help ensure you’re getting enough. Choose lean meats such as chicken, turkey, and ground beef when it comes to choosing lean proteins like meat. Use small amounts of butter instead of oil when dressing salads or even drizzle cold-pressed olive oil over roasted vegetables or salad.
Coconuts and their oils, which contain medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), are another Keto-friendly source of fat. MCTs go directly into your liver for energy use, helping hasten ketosis. They may even aid weight loss since fat burns faster than carbs!
Fish is an excellent source of both protein and healthy fats. When selecting farm-raised salmon varieties, ensure that they contain less omega-6 fatty acids than wild-caught varieties; fish oil supplements are an ideal way to increase omega-3 intake.
Nuts and seeds are an excellent source of fats, but be wary when selecting which varieties to purchase as some contain added sugar that makes them ineligible for Keto diets. When purchasing raw nuts and seeds though, you can enjoy them as snacks or add them into salads and other recipes as necessary.
Eggs are an excellent source of both protein and fat. As a versatile food source, they can be enjoyed hard-boiled, scrambled, in quiches or as an omelets – even add mayonnaise for an extra creamy treat!
As with any diet, starting the keto diet slowly and increasing fat consumption over time is recommended if you’re new to it. Missing one or two days won’t have an effect on ketosis; however, consistent failure to meet fat goals could impede progress over time and deprive essential fatty acids which could harm health.