Five Healthy Fats that Help Lower Your Cholesterol
Polyunsaturated fats, known as healthy fats. These can give you the nutrients and energy your body needs and keep your cholesterol levels under control.
However, there is another group of fats that have the completely opposite effect on your body.
Fried food, butter, fatty cheeses, and some meats all contain large amounts of saturated fats with the power to increase your cholesterol.
Knowing which ones are healthy fats will help you make good substitutions and lower your consumption of saturated fat without cutting anything out of your diet.
Learn more in this article!
Healthy Fats
1. Vegetable oils, monounsaturated fats
First of all, vegetable oils are rich in oleic acid. This is an excellent substitute for saturated fats. Olive oil is probably the most popular of the healthy fats.
However, olive oil isn’t the only one able to give your body these nutrients. There is also hazelnut, canola, soy, and sesame oil.
Plus, don’t forget about the healing properties of extra virgen olive oil. Consuming it will help you control your bad cholesterol (LDL) while acting as an anti-inflammatory, among many other benefits.
2. Alpha-linolenic acid in fish
This is perhaps the most important fatty acid among the omega 3’s. You can get it in fish and also soy products and sesame.
It’s very good for you, since the human body is not able to produce it on its own. It prevents cholesterol from accumulating in your arteries and supports your heart health.
Among the fish that are highest in alpha linolenic acid we find:
- Tuna
- Salmon
- Sardines
- Herring
While you can find all of these in cans, it’s best to eat them in their natural state.
3. Do you need to gain muscle mass? Try cod liver oil
Believe it or not, it is possible to eat a healthy diet and increase your muscle mass. This is great for athletes and those wishing to increase their muscle mass.
For them, cod liver oil can be a fantastic supplement.
This popular supplement is high omega 3 content. Basically, this fat encourages better protein synthesis, allowing you to increase in muscle mass.
In addition, some of the benefits of supplements include the fact that it:
- Supports your immune system.
- Helps with bone growth.
- Contributes to blood clotting.
- Encourages brain development.
That’s why this supplement is recommended for older adults, too.
4. Avocados: high in omega 6 another of the healthy fats
Omega-6 fatty acids are found in many animal-based foods. However, one of its most healthy sources is the avocado. It is one of the few fruits that is high in polyunsaturated substances.
In addition to being very nutritious, avocados also help in its absorption.
Another remarkable fruit with these nutritional components is olives, as well as the above-mentioned oil.
5. Lentils also help you lower your cholesterol
Lentils provide your body with valuable protein without elevating your triglycerides. They contain only .1 grams of saturated fat per 100 grams.
These little legumes form a substance that sticks to cholesterol and helps flush it out of your body. That’s why they are considered protectors of your heart and your whole cardiovascular system.
In addition, red beans and green soy beans have similar properties to those of lentils.
“We recommend reading: 9 Tips to Stop Eating Meat without Any Nutrient Deficiencies”
Is eating fat bad?
Eating a certain amount of fat is necessary for your organs to work properly. Categorizing this macronutrient as an enemy is a bad interpretation of what a balanced diet should be.
In fact, some nutritionists believe that 20 to 30% of your diet should be made up of fat. However, this amount should be unsaturated fat.
The benefits of eating healthy fats in moderation are:
- Better sensitivity to insulin
- Regulation of your metabolism
- Increase in muscle mass
- Better reproductive health
- Optimized brain function
So pay attention to the type of healthy fatty acids you choose and enjoy better overall health!
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- Lichtenstein, A. H., Appel, L. J., Brands, M., Carnethon, M., Daniels, S., Franch, H. A., … Wylie-Rosett, J. (2006). Diet and lifestyle recommendations revision 2006: A scientific statement from the American heart association nutrition committee. Circulation. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.106.176158
- Sacks, F. M., Lichtenstein, A. H., Wu, J. H. Y., Appel, L. J., Creager, M. A., Kris-Etherton, P. M., … Van Horn, L. V. (2017). Dietary fats and cardiovascular disease: A presidential advisory from the American Heart Association. Circulation. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000510
- Collins, R., Frost, C., Clarke, R., Peto, R., & Appleby, P. (2011). Dietary lipids and blood cholesterol: quantitative meta-analysis of metabolic ward studies. BMJ. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.314.7074.112
