We all know we are traditionally supposed to avoid fat in order to maintain a healthy waistline and lifestyle.
But Australian nutritionist Susie Burrell believes some fats are getting a bad rap and that people need to know the difference between good and bad fats.
Burrell explain on the Shape Me website: "Chances are, unless you are eating fresh salmon every single day, you are not getting enough of the foods that can help you achieve the right balance of fats in your diet.
"Fat balance in the body is controlled by a number of complex metabolic pathways.
"It is for this reason that dietary balance never comes down to just one food or diet but rather the interplay of dietary patterns, nutrient intake and balance as well as our genetic response to different nutrients and dietary patterns," she explained.
"When described in relatively simple terms, there are fats that promote the health of our cells, and fats which are more damaging."
She explained that "fats compete for position" in our bodies and that having the right ratio of different kinds of fat is crucial to overall body health.
Fish
"It is not for nothing that dieticians regularly cite salmon as one of the favourite superfoods - one of the few naturally occurring sources of the powerful long chain fatty acids EPA and DHA, a 100g serve of salmon will give you at least 4g of these fats," Burrell shared.
"And while plant sources of these fats are still good choices nutritionally, as they will convert to the longer chain EPA and DHA, oily fish remains the richest source of DHA and EPA."
Sardines are also a great source of omega 3 fats, with 3g of polyunsaturated fat per serve.
Salmon and sardines should be staples in a healthy diet. Photo / 123rf
Seeds
"Also known as pepitas, pumpkin seeds like many seeds offer us a massive dose of these special fats.
"Just 30g of pepitas offers almost 7g of long chain fats or one third of our daily requirement," Burrell shared.
She also noted that linseed, chia and sesame seeds are also great options with 3-4g of polyunsaturated fats per serve.
Pumpkin seeds offer a large dose of polyunsaturated fat. Photo / 123rf
Nuts
"All nuts are good for us but walnuts in particular pack a massive punch when it comes to omega 3 content with just 10-12 walnuts offering more than 14g of long chain fats," Burrell stated.
However, if you don't like walnuts a 30g serve of pecans will give you a great boost of long chain fats.
Walnuts pack a punch when it comes to omega 3 fats. Photo / 123rf
