Spending my teens and twenties in the era of low-fat, no-fat, fad diets, you could say I developed a little (how could I put this...) "obsession" around fat. The fitness mags I devoted many weekend hours thumbing through didn't differentiate between good or bad fats. Articles in Women's Health, SHAPE and all the other fitness mags I was reading subbed foods for a rainbow of low to no fat substitues, additives and artificial sweeteners. Why? Because if you had the choice between two low fat treats versus one high fat treat, many of of us would pick two over one. We live in a culture of wanting more and thats exactly what I felt prey to. Seeking out a lower fat alternative wasn't just my norm, it was so common I never even thought about the true pot of gold; fats that could actually be good for you.

The right kinds of fats help increase satiety, maximize your metabolism, protect against heart disease, speed nutrients through your body, and improve your fat-soluble vitamin uptake. Not to mention, most unprocessed, high-fat foods also come packaged with many of those important nutrients, from vitamins and minerals to free-radical fighting antioxidants.

Q

Can I gain weight if I eat too much healthy fat?

A

Yes, just like you can gain weight when you eat more than your body’s needs of carbohydrates or protein.

At the end of the day, excess energy (food) in vs. less energy out (movement) equates to a surplus.

Now, starting with the basics. There are 3 main types of dietary fat: saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated as you've probably seen on your nutrition labels a time or two. The phrase “healthy fat” usually refers to monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. For this article, I will focus on these two healthy fats you should be adding you your diet regularly. I will cover the third, saturated fat, in another article.

Fats are then further broken down into essential fat and non-essential fat. Whether it be essential or non-essential fat calories, they all break down to 9 calories per gram.

- Essential fat is fat that is necessary for normal functioning and is incorporated into the nerves, heart, brain, liver, lungs and mammory glands.

- Non-essential fat is composed mainly of triglycerides, which can be stored around vital organs, within muscle tissue and directly beneath the skin.

All digestion first takes place in the mouth, but fat needs a little bit more attention and energy to digest. After you eat a fat-containing food, let’s use almonds for example, you first break down the food in your mouth. Next it goes to your stomach where those solid pieces of almond are further broken down. Fats actually hang out here for quite a bit which is one reason for why fat keeps you feeling fuller longer. Depending on the volume of food and components of food, healthy fats may keep you feeling full for hours.

Omega-3's

Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fatty acid that may help lower cholesterol levels and support heart health.

The most important omega-3 fats are the following:

• ALA (alpha-linolenic acid)

• DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)

• EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid)

Our bodies mostly use DHA/EPA, and don’t convert ALA very well. Most plant-based sources (e.g. flax, hemp, and chia) are rich in ALA while marine animal sources (i.e. fish) and algae are rich in EPA and DHA. Thus, blood levels of omega-3 fats are typically lower in plant-based eaters than in those who eat meat, so plant-based eaters should be particularly vigilant about proper fat intake.

ALA conversion is particularly poor in people who consume a typical Western diet. Thus, people who eat diets high in processed foods and refined carbohydrates, etc. will not reap many benefits from ALA. Get your EPA/DHA from marine sources.

Wondering what to eat?

Fatty Fish: Current dietary recommendations are to include fish in your meals at least twice per week. Fish high in omega-3 fats are salmon, albacore tuna (fresh and canned), sardines, lake trout and mackerel.

Walnuts: Walnuts are an excellent plant-based source of omega-3. Add walnuts to cereal, salads or muffins. Try walnut oil in salad dressings and sautés, too.

Oils: Replace solid fats such as butter or margarine with oils such as canola and soybean when cooking or baking. It works well for sautéing and stir-frying.

Flaxseed: Add ground flaxseed to breakfast cereal, yogurt, baked goods including breads and muffins or mixed dishes and casseroles. Or, drizzle flaxseed oil over quinoa or use it for salad dressing. (Your body cannot break down whole flaxseeds to access the omega-3-containing oil.)

Eggs: Some chickens are given feed that is high in omega-3s so their eggs will contain more as well. When buying eggs, check the package label.

Monounsaturated Fats

Monounsaturated fats improve blood cholesterol levels, which can decrease your risk of heart disease.

Wondering what to eat?

Nuts: In addition to heart-healthy fats, nuts are a good source of protein, fiber and a variety of vitamins and minerals. Just keep portion control in mind. One portion of nuts is equal to 1 ounce or ⅓ cup and provides approximately 160 to 180 calories. For the love, don't try to eyeball a serving size, it never works.

Oils: Use oils like olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil and MCT in place of saturated fat without other heart healthy benefits, such as butter or lard. Use it in salad dressing or to sauté vegetables, seafood, poultry and meat.

Avocado: Avocados not only contain monounsaturated fat, but they are also packed with folate, vitamins E, C and B6, potassium and fiber. Try adding avocado to salad, pizza, soup, salsa, eggs and sandwiches.

Nut Butter: Nearly half the fat in peanut butter is monounsaturated fat. Resist the urge to pour off the heart-healthy oil that's separated out of natural peanut butter, and mix it in. Again, for the love, don't try to eyeball a serving size because it never works.

Not all fats are created equal; focus on quality over quantity and enjoy them with moderation to avoid excess comsumption leading to unwanted weight gain.

Resources

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/antioxidants/

https://www.eatright.org/food/nutrition/dietary-guidelines-and-myplate/choose-healthy-fats

https://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-healthy-fats

https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000785.htm

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/InteractiveNutritionFactsLabel/fat.html

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