There are also 2 types of fat to make sure we are regularly including in our diet these are unsaturated fats or polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats.
Our polyunsaturated fats can be further divided into omega 3’s and omega 6’s. Our body can’t make these so we need to get them from our diet. The best source of omega 3 comes from oily fish and seafood, however there are plant sources too; walnuts, chia seeds and flaxseeds. It is recommended that we consume 2-3 servings (150g) of oily fish a week. Most Australians get enough omega 6’s in their diet; they are found in nuts, margarine, sunflower seeds and some oils. These polyunsaturated fats are shown to decrease our risk of heart disease.
Our monounsaturated fats are found in avocado, olive/canola/peanut oils and nuts, these work by lowering the levels of cholesterol in our blood.
Now that we know our heart healthy fats, it’s a good time to start working them into our diets:
- Swap your butter/mayo for some avocado in your sandwich
- Choose olive/canola/peanut/sunflower oil when cooking instead of butter or coconut oil
- Add a serve of fish to one of your meals a couple of times a week
- Have a handful of nuts instead of the muffin with your coffee
