Did you know that not all fat is bad??? YES it is true!!!! Our bodies actually need fat. We need fat to help our bodies absorb certain vitamins, to help keep our skin soft and help us produce energy. So if fat is so good for you why are we always told to stay away from fatty foods? Well that’s because there are different types of fat.
The Bad Fats:
Saturated and Trans fats are known as the bad fats. This is because these fats are known to raise your cholesterol levels, clog your arteries, and increase your chances of getting heart disease. Saturated fats are mostly found in animal products, like meat, poultry, dairy, and eggs. Trans fats are mostly found packaged snack foods, cookies, icings, crackers, baked goods. (Basically the foods we love so dearly!) But have no fear!
The Good Fats:
There are two types of healthy fats: polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats. These fats are found in: fish oils, avocado, and nuts and seeds. They are also found in oils such as: corn, soybean, sunflower, sesame, cottonseed, canola, almond, walnut, olive, and peanut oil.
When used in MODERATION they help lower cholesterol levels and reduce your risk of heart disease. Omega 3 is a type of polyunsaturated fat that has had a lot of buzz lately. Omegas 3s are found in fatty fish like salmon, trout, catfish, and mackerel. They are also found in flaxseed and walnuts.
Monounsaturated fats can be found in olives; avocados; hazelnuts; almonds; Brazil nuts; cashews; sesame seeds; pumpkin seeds; and olive, canola, and peanut oils.
So if there you are interested in trying new exciting and different flavors in your cooking or with your food try anyone of these different oils.
Here is a recipe for an avocado dip I found in WomensHealth Magazine.
Tropical Guac.
½ avocado, pitted, peeled and chopped
¼ teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoon chopped red onion
1 ½ tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoon of chopped jalapeno
2 teaspoon fresh lime juice
¼ cup of chopped pineapple
¼ chopped mango
¼ cup chopped cantaloupe
Directions:
Mash avocado and salt together with a fork. Gently stir in onion, cilantro, jalapeno, and lime juice. Fold in pineapple, mango, and cantaloupe. * You can have this dip with shrimp or you can have this as a side dish to eat with salmon fish or any of the other fishes that I mentioned earlier.
Bon Appetite
This recipe makes 4 Servings. Per serving: 107 cal, 4 g fat ( <1g sat fat! ), 19 g carbs, 88 mg sodium, 4 gram fiber, 2 g protein.
