Healthy fats?

pemmanye
pemmanye Posts: 5 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi all,
I've noticing each day that I'm over consuming carbohydrates in comparison to fats. However I'm trying to reduce fats and carbs in my diet. Does anyone have any useful tips on consuming healthy fats? I'm not a fish eater so everything I read about salmon isn't helping :(

Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Avocado, full fat dairy, the odd doughnut won't hurt...

    You cant really be low on 2 macros as a time and an all protein diet isn't really healthy!
  • winnie1128
    winnie1128 Posts: 2 Member
    Do you run vevryday? You can have a try!
    I insist on running an hour a day
  • fr33sia12
    fr33sia12 Posts: 1,258 Member
    Cheese, eggs, nuts, seeds, avocado, chia seeds, coconut oil, full fat yogurt, flax seed, olives, tofu, spinach, kale, parsley, brussels sprouts.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Fats in foods come in three broad categories - saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Whichever food you eat you'll be getting some of all of them. Meat (avoiding lean cuts) and butter are good fat sources.

    The evidence that there are unhealthy fats appears to be flawed according to the last 6 years worth of published studies. You may see some modest health changes exchanging one type of fat for another.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    pemmanye wrote: »
    I've noticing each day that I'm over consuming carbohydrates in comparison to fats. However I'm trying to reduce fats and carbs in my diet. Does anyone have any useful tips on consuming healthy fats?

    I suspect that you have gotten the information a little mixed up. There is nothing wrong with neither fat nor carbohydrate. Both are sources of energy, measured in calories. The third source of energy is protein (alcohol is the fourth) and they are called macronutrients. Protein and carbs have 4 calories per gram, fat has 9. If you want to lose weight, you need to reduce your calorie intake. But you still need some of each macronutrient every day. Because they provide different amount of calories per gram, the percentage of energy each macronutrient provides will not be the same as number of grams. So even though you eat more carbs than fat in grams, the percentage of energy from fat can be higher. That is not a problem. You can set macros to a level that matches your needs and your preferences.

    Healthy fat is fat that is not trans fat. If you eat mostly home cooked meals and food made from real food (plants and animals), you won't be eating enough amounts of trans fat to cause any concern. A wide variety of food from all food groups is optimal for good health, but you can eat anything you want, and you don't have to eat anything you don't want.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    edited June 2016
    Too late to edit :o Lol, I didn't mean that we need alcohol :D Alcohol is the fourth macronutrient, as it provides energy, but it doesn't have its own slot in here, as it doesn't provide anything else nutritionally. It's not a vital nutrient.
  • louisepaul16
    louisepaul16 Posts: 261 Member
    Avocado is fantastic, nuts and seeds, nut butters, eggs.

    I eat a lot more fat in my diet than I used to but they are good fats. I feel so much less hungry than I did when I did a low fat diet. I would recommend including them daily. :)
  • pemmanye
    pemmanye Posts: 5 Member
    Thanks everyone. My main battle is that I can't tolerate dairy - I consume as much skimmed milk as I can but low fat yogurts are as about as full fat as I can go!
  • pemmanye
    pemmanye Posts: 5 Member
    Not sure what happened to the rest of my post above... Hmm. I guess it's all about the portion control and balance (both of which I need to get better at based on the scales this morning!
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Full fat salad dressing.
  • StephanieDL1
    StephanieDL1 Posts: 19 Member
    Walnuts :)
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    No need to reduce fats or carbs so long as you get sufficient protein -- after a certain level there's no benefit to increasing protein. Unless you want to try a low carb diet, the issue with both fats and carbs is making good choices within those categories (on average, you can include anything in moderation). Good choices for carbs include things like fruits and vegetables, of course, whole grains, tubers like potatoes and sweet potatoes, and various foods that are a mix of macros (tofu, for example, or nuts or dairy). Good choices for fats (what you asked about, and the "healthy fats" people talk about) generally mean non saturated or non animal sourced fats (other than from fatty fish) and non ultra processed sources: things like nuts and seeds, avocado, olives and olive oil, so on. Eggs are also generally good for you. Dairy is fine, as is meat, but the fat from those is not typically what nutritionists mean when they speak of "healthy fats." That said, I include them in my diet and find them helpful, especially as a protein source. Also, because tasty.
  • cruisercrawler
    cruisercrawler Posts: 4 Member
    If you can't do dairy, try Goats milk.
    I really didn't even notice the difference in taste.
  • NaturalNancy
    NaturalNancy Posts: 1,093 Member
    Avocados, nuts, coco nut, olive oil and peanut butter (healthy fats)
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,213 Member
    What are your macro goals? I think the default is 50% carbs, 20% protein, 30% fats. I like this setting. Many MFPers have their macros set to 40-30-30. Is this closer to what you are trying to achieve? I agree that this is a good goal but I find it tough to get that much protein in.
  • miconsumafuoco
    miconsumafuoco Posts: 43 Member
    fr33sia12 wrote: »
    Cheese, eggs, nuts, seeds, avocado, chia seeds, coconut oil, full fat yogurt, flax seed, olives, tofu, spinach, kale, parsley, brussels sprouts.

    These are excellent suggestions! Plus picking the ones with good protein will also keep you fuller longer. Avocado does something positive for your insulin that helps regulate blood sugar and eat less. (Dr. Oz article) And coconut oil is AMAZING! http://www.m.webmd.com/diet/features/coconut-oil-and-health
  • pemmanye
    pemmanye Posts: 5 Member
    goldthistime wrote: »
    What are your macro goals? I think the default is 50% carbs, 20% protein, 30% fats. I like this setting. Many MFPers have their macros set to 40-30-30. Is this closer to what you are trying to achieve? I agree that this is a good goal but I find it tough to get that much protein in.

    That is the setting I have it on I think :) I always find that I am over on carbohydrates and under on fats and often protein too (I like pasta!)

    Thank you everyone for all your suggestions - nuts, eggs and peanut butter could be good options
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    It's truly an odd donut that does not have trans fats. You will do well to avoid even the occasional donut.
  • marm1962
    marm1962 Posts: 950 Member
    JeromeBarry1 wrote: »
    It's truly an odd donut that does not have trans fats. You will do well to avoid even the occasional donut.

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  • pemmanye
    pemmanye Posts: 5 Member
    marm1962 wrote: »
    JeromeBarry1 wrote: »
    It's truly an odd donut that does not have trans fats. You will do well to avoid even the occasional donut.

    I was "peer pressured" into having a Krispy Kreme today - hoping it will boost my metabolism! :wink:

    On the plus side, scales are already showing some improvement after 5 days, and my fats intake was higher :smiley:
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Good fats generally refer to unsaturated fats. Fish is just one source. You can get unsaturated fats from cooking oils, avocado, nuts, seeds, chicken and yes, fish/seafood.

    Saturated fat is okay too but it's recommended that these be eaten in less quantities than unsaturated.

    Avoid trans fats.

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