By Alicia Shay
The below guidelines should help you sort through the confusion about which fats are best for maximizing your training, performances and health.
SOURCES OF HEALTHY FATS
Polyunsatured Fats:
1. Omega-3 Fats: BEST-eat at least 1-2 times per day
Nuts and Seeds: flax seeds, flax oil, flax meal, chia seeds, walnuts, soy nuts, hemp seeds
Oil and Butter: flax oil, canola oil, soy oil, soy butter, Earth Balance butter, Smart Balance Butter
Other: salmon, sardines, halibut, tuna, mackerel, herring, lake trout other fish with a higher fat content, tofu, grass fed meat
2. Omega-6 Fats: DECENT-eat in moderation
Seeds, Nuts and Nut Butters: sesame seeds, tahini, sunflower seeds, sunflower seed butter, pumpkin seeds
Oil and Butter: safflower oil, sesame oil, sunflower oil, corn oil,
Other:
Monounsaturated Fats: GOOD FATS- eat frequently
Seeds, Nuts and Nut Butters: peanuts, peanut butter, cashews, cashew butter, pistachios, macadamia nuts, almonds, almond butter, pecans, olives, olive oil
Oil an Butters: olive oil
Other: avocado, olives
Saturated Fats: OK IN MODERATION
1. Healthy: saturated fats from these sources are ok to eat within a balanced diet
Plant Sources: coconut, coconut oil
Animal Sources: small amount from wild game and organic grass fed meat, organic low-fat or full-fat dairy sources
2. Unhealthy: eat little to no fat from these sources.
Plant Sources: refined or hydrogenated coconut oil
Animal Sources: regular red meats with visible fat, poultry skin, fat and dark meat, whole-milk dairy foods (butter, cheese, ice cream, sour cream, yogurt, cottage cheese, etc.), lard
Other: refined or hydrogenated palm oil, shortening,
Trans or Hydrogenated Fat: COMPLETELY ELIMINATE
*This type of fat has very detrimental health effects. Read labels to make sure that products do not contain any trans fats.
Sources: found in many packaged products and snacks, commercial baked goods, fried food and fast food
Grass fed Butter Oil is the best fat.
http://nutraprointl.com/2010/01/27/grass-fed-butter-oil-2/