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Eat Better, Feel Better in 4 Easy Steps
Step 1: Eat More Fat
Ready to make eating better a priority? Way to go! Now, get ready to dig in. Because believe it or not, a healthier diet means eating and enjoying MORE . . . more flavors, more nutrients, more variety, more FAT.
Despite what you may have heard, fats have a lot going for them: They help keep up your energy, ferry vitamins into your system, heal tissues, and oil your immune system. Some fats also supply the essential fatty acids your body can't produce on its own. And fats simply make food taste great.
Plus, if you're trying to lose weight, you might need to add a little fat to your diet
This surprising diet strategy may be more effective than switching to fat-free foods.
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Heard on RA Message Boards
"Many stores carry sunflower-seed butter, which is WAY yummy. It has more fat and fiber than my natural peanut butter, but the fats it does include are polyunsaturated and monounsaturated. But remember, moderation . . . control thy spoon!" Join the discussion -- register for YOU: On a Diet.
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Researchers have shown that eating a little fat before a meal -- say a handful of nuts -- will make you feel full faster, so you'll actually eat fewer calories during a meal. Get recipes for tasty fat-friendly appetizers.
Who to Kick Out
As sometimes happens with a gang of spirited teens, a few trouble-making fats give the whole group of fats a bad rap. The truly bad fats come from animal sources -- saturated fats (SFAs) -- and processed foods -- trans fats (TFAs). SFAs are less harmful than TFAs, but both have been linked to a wide range of health hazards, including aging, inflammation, damage to the immune system and arteries, and an increased risk of cancer. Even so, you don't have to give up saturated fats completely; just limit them to 10% of your total daily calories.
Who to Invite In
The good guys in the fat gang are the monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) and the polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs). These boost "good" HDL cholesterol and reduce "bad" LDL cholesterol.
Two particularly good groups of polyunsaturated fats are omega-3 fatty acids -- found abundantly in oily, dark-meat, cold-water fish, such as salmon and mackerel -- and omega-6 fatty acids, which are in many soft margarines, safflower oil, and corn oil. For maximum health benefits, aim to eat about the same amount of both essential fatty acids. However, the average Western diet is typically way off balance, providing about 20 to 30 times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids, which can lead to serious conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Find out if your diet is off balance.
This chart can help you quickly spot good fats and bad fats at the grocery store.
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Monounsaturated Fats (MUFAs)
Olive oil
Canola oil
Peanut and other nut oils
Nuts
Avocados
Olives
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Saturated Fats (SFAs)
Full-fat cheese
Full-fat milk
Butter
Full-fat sour cream
Ice cream
Lard
Red meat and poultry (dark meat)
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Polyunsaturated Fats (PUFAs)
Corn oil
Safflower oil
Sunflower and other seed oil
Soybean oil
Salmon
Canned light tuna
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Trans Fats or Hydrogenated Fats (TFAs)
Many cakes, cookies, other processed foods -- though things are changing fast
Stick margarine
Deep-fried anything -- French fries to fish
Many chips and other snacks -- but, here too, things are changing fast
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Action Item 1: Move on to the oil aisle and start experimenting with polyunsaturated oils that add flavor, like walnut, hazelnut, or almond oil. Try small bottles of olive oils in different colors and from different regions. Each has a subtle difference in flavor -- some are fruitier than others, some more peppery. Now's the time to start keeping score, too. Use the information in the Nutrition Facts box on product labels to keep tabs on how much of each type of fat you're eating.
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Eat Better, Feel Better -- Step 1 Checklist:
Choose 2 or more items below, and go for the good fats!
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___Eat a dozen almonds about 20 minutes before dinner.
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___Switch from cooking with butter to cooking with olive oil.
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___Throw out processed foods with trans fats listed on the label.
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___Serve fish two times a week.
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Next Week
Step 2: Counting Colors
How many purple produce items can you name? In next week's issue, find out why violet veggies and fruits are so powerful.
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