Good Fats

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What are some good fats that I could add to my diet? I'm new to eating healthy and nutrition so any advice helps. Every time I log a food it always says too much saturated fat or always something that I don't want to see lol

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  • Cynsonya
    Cynsonya Posts: 668 Member
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    Avocado, Almonds, Walnuts, Salmon
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    avocados, olive oil, avocado oil, almonds and other nuts, nut butters, etc.

    Most saturated fats are from animals and animal products...so if you're eating a lot of fattier cuts of meat, dairy, etc...that would account for high saturated fat. Note that saturated fat can't be entirely eliminated, nor should it be...I think pretty much any source of fat has an element of saturated fat that comes with it.
  • BrandyGanus
    BrandyGanus Posts: 45 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    avocados, olive oil, avocado oil, almonds and other nuts, nut butters, etc.

    Most saturated fats are from animals and animal products...so if you're eating a lot of fattier cuts of meat, dairy, etc...that would account for high saturated fat. Note that saturated fat can't be entirely eliminated, nor should it be...I think pretty much any source of fat has an element of saturated fat that comes with it.

    Yes, what cwolfman13 said.

    Animal meat and animal products contain high amounts of saturated fat. So reduce your consumption of these items.

    Here is a list of foods high in polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats (the good fats):

    Avocados
    nuts and seeds
    Atlantic mackerel
    herring
    sardines
    bluefish
    salmon (pink, chinook, coho and red or sockeye)
    rainbow trout
    lake whitefish
    sablefish
    American eel
    European anchovy
    Pacific oysters
    New Zealand green mussels
    Squid
    striped mullet
    tuna (albacore and bluefin)
    ground flaxseed
    oils (flaxseed, canola, soybean, olive)

    More info on "good fats":

    University of Illinois

    Harvard
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    avocados, olive oil, avocado oil, almonds and other nuts, nut butters, etc.

    Most saturated fats are from animals and animal products...so if you're eating a lot of fattier cuts of meat, dairy, etc...that would account for high saturated fat. Note that saturated fat can't be entirely eliminated, nor should it be...I think pretty much any source of fat has an element of saturated fat that comes with it.

    This, plus olives, plus fatty fish (like salmon), and I agree on the sat fat comments also.
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
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    Saturated fats are not the problem - sugars/carbs are. Coconut oil and Macadamia nuts are great sources of healthy fats! :)
  • BrandyGanus
    BrandyGanus Posts: 45 Member
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    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    avocados, olive oil, avocado oil, almonds and other nuts, nut butters, etc.

    Most saturated fats are from animals and animal products...so if you're eating a lot of fattier cuts of meat, dairy, etc...that would account for high saturated fat. Note that saturated fat can't be entirely eliminated, nor should it be...I think pretty much any source of fat has an element of saturated fat that comes with it.

    This, plus olives, plus fatty fish (like salmon), and I agree on the sat fat comments also.

    Oh yeah, I forgot about olives since I'm not a huge fan. I can eat them mixed into a dish but not by themselves, but I love olive oil. Weird.
  • Squeaksfriend
    Squeaksfriend Posts: 9 Member
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    People are going to argue with me but I say that as long as the animals were pasture raised and finished (meaning grass fed), saturated fats are good for you. They actually raise your HDL levels and change the ratio of LDL's favorably.
    I'm also going against the grain by saying that polyunsaturated fats are BAD for you (flaxseed, canola, soybean, and grapeseed.) They all have very high omega 6 content and that causes inflammation in the body.
    Avocado, nut oils and coconut oils are good choices.
  • BrandyGanus
    BrandyGanus Posts: 45 Member
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    People are going to argue with me but I say that as long as the animals were pasture raised and finished (meaning grass fed), saturated fats are good for you. They actually raise your HDL levels and change the ratio of LDL's favorably.
    I'm also going against the grain by saying that polyunsaturated fats are BAD for you (flaxseed, canola, soybean, and grapeseed.) They all have very high omega 6 content and that causes inflammation in the body.
    Avocado, nut oils and coconut oils are good choices.

    No fat is BAD for you. In excess, every type of lipid will have deleterious effects on the body, saturated or unsaturated. So, yes, excessive polyunsaturated fats CAN cause inflammation in the body. But like most things, a balanced variety is important.
  • barquilt
    barquilt Posts: 9 Member
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    Does anyone know if I'm using 1 Tbsp of coconut oil everyday & often go over my suggested grams of fat on MFP - is that going to detrimental to my weight loss in the long run. I get confused about good fats - can you use those more freely than the so called bad fats.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    If your doctor has given you a specific eating plan, stick to that. If not: Just avoid trans fat. As long as the fat you eat comes from natural sources and is within a balanced and varied diet - different foods from every food group every day - you'll be fine.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    Ditto. Trans fats, using old oils or oils inappropriate for cooking is really the only things that should be avoided. Otherwise fats are good for you.

    My diet is primarily fat. My favorite fats are coconut oil, coconut, beef, pork, fish, avocados, eggs, cheese, full fat dairy (cheese, sourcream, cream, butter), and nuts. I also like full fat salad dressings and good mayo.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
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    I avoid polyunsaturated fats, and try to get as much monounsaturated fat as possible. I don't worry much about saturated fat in dairy or meat, however when I'm choosing a cooking oil, I use olive or high oleic sunflower oil for the monounsaturated fat.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    edited February 2016
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    People are going to argue with me but I say that as long as the animals were pasture raised and finished (meaning grass fed), saturated fats are good for you. They actually raise your HDL levels and change the ratio of LDL's favorably.
    I'm also going against the grain by saying that polyunsaturated fats are BAD for you (flaxseed, canola, soybean, and grapeseed.) They all have very high omega 6 content and that causes inflammation in the body.
    Avocado, nut oils and coconut oils are good choices.

    No fat is BAD for you. In excess, every type of lipid will have deleterious effects on the body, saturated or unsaturated. So, yes, excessive polyunsaturated fats CAN cause inflammation in the body. But like most things, a balanced variety is important.

    The problem is that it's very easy to get a lot of polyunsaturated fat, and a lot of omega-6 fatty acids, and very hard to get enough omega-3 to balance it. It's easier to cut back on omega-6 and substitute other fats that don't have those pro-inflammatory effects, such as monounsaturated fat rich olive oil, and even saturated fats.
  • barquilt
    barquilt Posts: 9 Member
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    nvmomketo - do you often go over the recommended fat grams that MFP has given you & have you had success losing weight? ( If that's your goal)
  • fishshark
    fishshark Posts: 1,886 Member
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    lithezebra wrote: »
    I avoid polyunsaturated fats, and try to get as much monounsaturated fat as possible. I don't worry much about saturated fat in dairy or meat, however when I'm choosing a cooking oil, I use olive or high oleic sunflower oil for the monounsaturated fat.

    I too use high oleic sunflower oil for cooking and high quality olive oil in raw application. I haven't turned back since using the sunflower oil... love it.