Eating Healthy? Remember to Include Good Fats

Not every fat is bad, and consuming fats doesn't have to automatically equate to high cholesterol. Unlike harmful saturated fats, which should be limited, there are beneficial fats you can and should incorporate into your diet. These good fats can promote heart and vascular health. It's essential to understand that your body requires fats to function properly. It needs a certain amount of cholesterol, even the "bad" (LDL), to produce hormones, bile acids, and vitamin D.

It's advisable to keep LDL cholesterol levels low—below 120, and triglycerides should also be low—under 100, but not entirely absent. HDL cholesterol should be over 60.

When someone suffers from cardiovascular diseases, they often steer clear of fats altogether. However, there are healthy fats that could benefit and support heart health. Instead of eliminating fats completely, focus on high-quality ones that positively affect your overall health, especially your heart and blood vessels.

The good fats are the unsaturated ones, predominantly from plant sources and fish—particularly salmon. They're found in olive oil, avocados, nuts, and almonds. These beneficial fats can lower LDL and raise HDL.

One well-known healthy fatty acid is Omega-3, a polyunsaturated fat found in abundance in sea fish. Omega-3 helps prevent blood clots, lowers blood pressure, aids children with attention and concentration issues, and reduces the risk of Alzheimer's in adults. It is recommended to consume about 1000 mg per day.

In summary, the American Heart Association (AHA) publishes guidelines on fat consumption and heart disease prevention in the "Circulation" journal. The guidelines suggest not reducing total fat intake, but instead replacing saturated fats found in packaged food, trans fats, margarine, meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats like nuts, almonds, olive oil, sea fish, whole grains, legumes, and fiber-rich fruits and vegetables.

Alongside maintaining a healthy diet, regular physical activity is also key to keeping a balanced lipid profile in the blood.

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