Ways to Include Good Fats in Your Diet

Omega-3 fatty acids are good fats that should be a regular part of a healthy diet. It is recommended to eat one of the many sources of these fats at least two times a week. They have a number of health benefits for a stronger body, no matter what your age. They strengthen hearts, lower cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of arteries clogging, reduce blood clots, assist with arthritis by decreasing inflammation and stiffness in the joints, decrease any risk of cancer, help people who are depressed, and also help those with diabetes by controlling levels of blood sugar. The benefits are amazing and reason enough to include these good fats in your diet.

What does the name omega-3 fatty acids even mean? Where does the 3 come from? Well, there are 3 parts to these fats. There is alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). All are good for you and can be found in different sources. Besides food, dietary supplements are sources of these fats, but the body does not take in the fat in the supplements as well as when they are consumed by food.

It is commonly known that salmon is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, but that is not the only food source. A lot of other fish contain the fats, such as trout, swordfish, mackerel, herring, sardines, and albacore tuna. Besides seafood, you can find the fats in a lot of oils, nuts, and seeds. These include pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, soy nuts, Brazil nuts, walnuts, olive oil, soybean oil, and flaxseed oil. Fruits that contain the fats are strawberries and raspberries. A lot of vegetables are also good sources, such as collard greens, romaine lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, kidney beans, navy beans, and squash. Meat sources include chicken and beef that are free-range.

With all of these options it is easy to get the good fats into the systems of you and your family. There are various ways to cook these ingredients, and you will definitely find a lot of the options on menus in restaurants. Between the health benefits and the flavor, it will be hard to not want to include good fats in your diet.