Maintaining a healthy diet requires eating good fats.According to the American Heart Association, between 25 and 35 percent of your daily calories should come from foods with healthy fats.To improve your diet and stay healthy, it is important to know which cooking oils and foods contain high levels of healthy fats as well as which products do not.You can begin to cook and eat healthy foods with a little research.
Step 1: Prepare fish.
If you want to boost your intake of healthy fats, eating a diet heavy in certain fish is a good first step.There are many species of fish that are high in Omega 3's.Try to eat a serving of fish twice a week.Omega 3 fats are found in salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and rainbow trout.It is important to cook your fish with a healthy oil.The fish listed above can be eaten by pregnant women.
Step 2: Cook more soy products.
Tofu has Omega 3 fats in it.Tofu is a meat or dairy substitute.It will help you get more healthy fats and avoid the bad ones found in animal products.Tofu can mimic the taste and texture of cheese.Tofu with a similar texture to sour cream can be used in dips.Tofu can be cooked with healthy oils.
Step 3: Eat more dark leafy greens.
There are some vegetables that are high in Omega 3s.You can either eat them raw or cook them in a pot.You should cook your vegetables with healthy oils.You can look into cooking methods that don't require additional fat.
Step 4: Eat a lot of them.
The food is high in both types of fat.You can use the slices to make a sandwich or salad.If you want to improve your heart health, eat more avocados.They are still high in fat despite being a healthy source of fat.Eating a lot of avocados will lead to weight gain because of the high fat content.If you are concerned about weight gain, eat a lot of avocados.It's suggested that you serve about a quarter to half an avocados a day.Add some fruit to your salad.
Step 5: You should add more nuts and seeds to your diet.
Monounistic fats are found in nuts and seeds.They can be mixed into a stir-fry.They are a heart healthy snack that you can eat on the go.Almonds, cashews, pecans, peanuts and pine nuts are all high in healthy fats.You may want to eat more pumpkin, sunflower, and sesame seeds.An almond trail mix is a good snack.
Step 6: Lean meat can be cooked.
Lean meats are better when you are preparing meals.Most meat has limited amounts of trans-fat, but it is a saturated fat.If you want to avoid eating fat, cook meat that has a low-fat content.Don't eat processed foods like bacon, sausage, and ham.Lean meat choices include white chicken meat, pork with the fat trimmed off, and 93/7 lean ground beef.A build up of plaque in the arteries can be caused by Saturated fat.
Step 7: Don't eat dairy.
Dairy is high in saturated fat.Full-fat cheese, milk, ice cream and other dairy-based foods may increase your risk of heart disease.Try to limit the amount of dairy-based foods you eat.If you eat dairy, look for 1% or skim options to reduce the amount of fat you consume.Butter and lard should not be used in your cooking.Use a healthy oil.
Step 8: It's a good idea to steer clear of tropical oils.
Coconut and palm oils are high in saturated fats.These oils are often depicted as healthy alternatives to trans-fats.They have high levels of saturated fat.Instead of using tropical oils, try to use healthy oils.The destruction of tropical environments is a result of the cultivation of these oils.
Step 9: Trans-fats and hydrogenated oils should be avoided.
Liquid vegetable oils have hydrogen added to them through an industrial process.The result is a more solid fat that is easy to make and lasts a long time.Trans-fats dramatically increase your LDL cholesterol levels, leading to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.High levels of trans-fats are found in many processed foods.Most fast food has trans-fats.If a food product contains trans-fats, check the nutrition label.If you go to a restaurant, ask about the oils used to prepare the food.
Step 10: Use more olive oil.
You should consider using heart-healthy olive oil when preparing food.This oil can improve your heart health by lowering your total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels.If you want to make salad dressings or cook food at a low or medium heat, use olive oil.If you cook olive oil at high temperatures, it will burn and lose its health benefits.Canola, grapeseed, and peanut oil can be used at higher temperatures.When it's fresh, olive oil is the healthiest.The oil loses its heart-health benefits when exposed to air and light.Store your oil away from light and in a cool place.
Step 11: Canola oil can be used to cook with.
When cooking at a higher temperature, the oil made from canola seeds is a good choice because it is high in monounsaturated fat.It is much cheaper than most other oils.Canola oil may contain higher levels of trans-fats, which can increase the risk of heart disease.Canola oil is cold pressed to get the oil's healthy fats.Canola oil should not be burned.It can lose its health benefits because of this.Canola oil is important for brain and heart health.
Step 12: Cook in corn oil.
Corn oil is a good option for cooking.The oil is high in a type of fat that is linked to improved heart health.Corn oil is a good choice when cooking at high heat.It's important to avoid hydrogenated corn oil.This increases the amount of cholesterol in your diet.The product's nutrition label should tell you if it is hydrogenated or not.
Step 13: Take other oils into account.
There are many different options for cooking oils that are high in healthy fats.Cottonseed and soybean oil are both high in polyunsaturated fats.Specialty oils like grapeseed and sesame are good for you.They can also be more expensive.You can buy oils with less than 4 grams of saturated fat.Trans-fat and partially hydrogenated oils should be avoided.
Step 14: Know your oil's smoke point.
Before you cook, make sure to check your smoke point.The temperature at which your oil will start to burn and give off smoke is this.Many of the healthy qualities of oil are lost when it starts to burn.High-heat frying or stir-frying can be done with oils with high smoke points.Corn, peanut, and sesame oil are included.Medium-high heat is a good time to use oils with a medium smoke point.They include olive, canola and grapeseed oil.Oils with a low smoke point should not be heated and used in salads and dips.The oils include walnuts.