HEALTHY FATS AND WHY THEY'RE GOOD FOR YOU

You've probably heard countless times that fat is bad for you. After the fat-free craze that instilled a fear of fat in the population, it's still been difficult to re-wire our brains on this topic. This topic has re-emerged in recent years, and we're finally widely understanding that not all fat is bad for you -- and in fact, there are many good fats that we desperately need.

So what are these good fats and why are they good? Fat is an essential building block our body uses, and it's also used as fuel for our cells. Unsaturated fats have been shown to lower bad cholesterol or LDL cholesterol and higher the good cholesterol HDL. Some types of unsaturated fats contain omega-3 fatty acids, which boost your brain function, strengthens your immune system and can even improve your mood.

So what are some of these foods that are packed with the good fats we need? Here are a few common ones...

Avocados are a great source. One avocado contains about 21g of fat. That may sound like a lot of fat, but luckily for us, it is mostly made of the good fat we are seeking. Other than the cholesterol lowering benefits, avocados are also an excellent source of potassium.

Walnuts are known as one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Eating a handful a day can help tremendously, and they act as the perfect snack -- portable, healthy and delicious.

Go for organic cashew or almond butter to reap the health benefits of eating healthy fats. Nut butters are perfect for dipping different fruits or veggies into to create a simple and healthy snack.

Dark Chocolate. You may have heard about all the health benefits dark chocolate has, and it being high in healthy fats is one of these advantages. Although dark chocolate is good for you in many ways, you do have to make sure it's organic and at least 70% cacao. I don't have to tell you twice to eat chocolate, do I?!

All of these are favorite healthy fats of mine. What are your favorite healthy fats to consume?

Charleen Cuellar

Your Wellness Transformations Coach

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