Does eating healthy fats help with weight loss?

Healthy fats are amazing for you - for your organs, your hair, your skin, your nails, all of you. I think we're doing it all wrong with the low-fat, reduced fat, fat free crap, I really do. I'm a fan of cooking with good olive oil, coconut oil, nuts, olives, yum.
The comparison of how we eat here vs how the rest of the world eats (especially in the Mediterranean regions with their whole milk cheese, real butter, olives, oil drizzled on everything) fascinates me. I really think that they're doing it right in terms of diet. I think a lot of of dietary things seriously went to hell in making everything here "diet". We're a low fat nation and extra fat.

^^I agree with this! I use real butter, good olive oil and coconut oil (using on my hair right now too!)

Love avocados and nuts! I stick with non fat dairy but eat avocados , nuts, and am looking to see how to incorporate fresh raw coconut into my nutrition. I eat whole eggs but sometimes add egg beaters to get enough protein . I havent eaten bread pasta rice or bread in13 months, down 46 pounds, and feel great. I think that the food pyramid changes as you age. But that's just my opinion, based on personal experience and real life observations... Only in america could we have a financial recession combined with an obesity epidemic.. I am going bold here and blaming it on our overabundance of grains, including those used to make sugar!

hello--- agree with the positive postings. back in the 80's, i remember my italian friend was completely baffled by my low fat diet... she looked at me incredulously and said, "you must eat fat to burn fat". i was baffled at her statement.... but i took no heed. and continued to battle my weight.

fast forward to today... i have learned much about "traditional cooking" which recommends healthy fats including saturated fats, but you need to be careful that they come from pastured sources.

here is brief intro to health benefits of saturated fats: http://nourishedmagazine.com.au/blog/articles/eat-fat-lose-fat-by-sally-fallon-and-mary-enig

i would recommend everyone learn how to make ghee, because this is the easiest to source. myself, i render fat from pastured chickens, pigs (which i butcher myself... and no, i don't live on a farm... far from it.... live downtown in small condo... i just know my farmers.), and beef (when i make stock).

also, you need fat to absorb vitamins, so if you are eating non-fat dressing with your salad, you are not getting all your vitamins... but just say no to bottled dressing... they are full of industrial oils (canola or soy)... make your own with QUALITY olive oil (make sure you have researched your sources. google: olive oil scam)... it is so simple to do!

i still battle my weight, but from stress, lack of exercise, and too much wine! i recently found MFP and have now lost a healthy 8 pounds over 8 weeks... whoohoo! and i target 50% of my calories to come from fat... really the only adjustment i have had to make is in the wine department (those calories add up). that said, i have lost my 8lbs drinking wine everyday (stress management... working on finding other means)

another good thing to add to diet is BONE BROTH!! but that is another post.

P.S this is my first post on the boards!!

Short answer, yes. Fats are an important part of dietary health.

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/fats-full-story/

And even saturated fat food sources aren't all bad because in most food sources there aren't just saturated fat. Consider real chocolate, which consists of three relatively equal fat sources, a heart healthy one, a heart neutral one, and an "unhealthy" one.

I know you weren't asking about health perse, but it makes sense that as other systems in the body are performing the way they should there would be flow on effects.