best foodshealthy foods

Top 6 foods with the “right” fats, and what you can cook with them (recipes inside)

We also figure out which food tops the list of harmfulness.

Those who follow their figure and nutrition, only talk about “correct” and harmful fats. Our humble editorial ministry of food has decided to find out once and for all which fats should be bypassed, which fats you can afford in reasonable amounts, where they are found and what can be made from “healthy” foods.

What’s the difference?

Fats in dietetics are one of the most important components of food, along with proteins and carbohydrates. They are classified into saturated, unsaturated, and trans fats (processed and artificially derived).

If you adhere to the recommendations of the World Health Organization, trans fats should account for no more than 1% of the total number of calories, 2.2 grams is an acceptable limit with an average daily rate of 2000 kcal. For greater clarity, we put this norm on one side of the scale, and a big mac on the other. There are 0.6 grams of trans fat per 100 grams of this hamburger, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). And it weighs (in Russia) 208 grams. It turns out that even if you do not torture yourself with diets, your allowable limit is a little less than two Big Macs a day. Provided that you don’t get trans fats from anywhere else.

There is a lot of talk about palm oil being a generous source of trans fats. But by and large, these rumors are exaggerated.

What are “healthy” fats?

They are beneficial primarily because they regulate blood glucose levels, help you lose weight, and provide energy and vitality. A separate benefit – for women – in the normalization of the production of sex hormones.

– The list of healthy fats for weight loss includes oleic, palmitic, eleidin, erucic acids, says Irina Borodino. – These are monounsaturated fats that have beneficial effects: they strengthen bones, normalize cholesterol levels, and reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease.

The body’s daily requirement for unsaturated fats is 30% of the total diet. The main thing is to take into account that the calorie content of the ingredients should not be too high. Then they will be beneficial, improve well-being, and strengthen the immune system. Well, if you eat food exclusively with a high calorie content and move little, then, of course, no “healthy” fats will save you. In any case, you will quickly gain excess weight, which will be difficult to get rid of later.

What foods are rich in healthy fats?

The main sources of unsaturated fat are fish, vegetable oil, nuts, seeds, dark chocolate, and avocados.

Nuts are a source of unsaturated acids, their composition is also rich in vitamins, fiber, protein. Avocados are the main healthy fats – they are rich in healthy monounsaturated fats that contain oleic acid, which can actually help suppress hunger. Unlike regular butter, it is also a source of protein and fiber.

“Fish is rich in polyunsaturated acids, which are important for normalizing metabolic processes, preventing the risk of hypertension, diabetes, atherosclerosis,” says Galina Bartashevich. You can also include flax and chia seeds in the ingredient table. They are a source of omega-3s and healthy fatty acids, which are great for those who prefer plant-based foods without compromising their health. Flaxseeds and chia seeds also contain alpha-linolenic acid, which can help maintain body weight and reduce the risk of heart disease.

Well, do not forget that you will not be full and healthy by only “healthy” fats.

– The share of carbohydrates should be 55–70% (including 10% – “simple” carbohydrates), the share of proteins – 10–15%, fats – 20–30%, – says Irina Borodino Therefore, your daily fat intake is 60-70 grams. Two tablespoons of vegetable oil is 30 grams of fat, one glass of milk or kefir (3.2% fat) will contain about 8 grams of fat. In lean beef (weighing approximately 80–90 grams), the proportion of fat will be 7 grams, and in fish of medium fat content (a portion of 140 grams) – 5–10 grams of fat.

What to cook with healthy fats?

There are several hundred healthy recipes from foods with unsaturated fats. Enough to turn on the fantasy. But here are four basic dishes that you can cook right now.

Cheese and avocado salad

For two servings of salad, you will need one avocado, a bunch of green salad, 100 grams of tomatoes, 100 grams of feta cheese, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, half a lemon, a can of pitted olives. Salt and pepper to taste.

Wash and dry the avocados, lettuce, and tomatoes. Slice them and chop the salad, slice the cheese as you like and combine all these ingredients, add the olives. Combine lemon juice with oil, salt and pepper and drizzle over salad with this dressing.

Scotch eggs with minced pork

For six servings, take eight chicken eggs, four tablespoons of wheat flour, a kilogram of minced pork, 225 grams of bread crumbs, 150 ml of vegetable oil, salt, ground black pepper – to taste.

Hard boil the eggs and peel them. Combine flour with salt and pepper. Divide the minced meat into six pieces and form each into an oval cake about a centimeter thick. Place a boiled egg in the center of each flatbread and cover the minced meat on top to form a ball with an egg inside. Beat the remaining two raw eggs and dip the finished balls in them, and then roll these “cutlets” in flour and breadcrumbs and refrigerate for ten minutes. Now you need to heat the oil to a temperature of 160 ºС in a deep frying pan and fry the dish for five minutes until golden brown.

Related Articles

Back to top button