Incorporate Healthy Fats In Your Diet

How to Incorporate Healthy Fats in Your Diet

Knowing which fats are healthy has become a bit of a jungle. For too many years we’ve been told the wrong information. It’s no wonder people have found it difficult to know what’s true. It’s even changed from being medium fat, to low fat, to now there is no upper level. However, knowing how to incorporate healthy fats into your diet will help your body repair itself and heal, even leading to weight loss.

Don’t be scared of fats. They are essential for our bodies. They are one of the 3 essential macronutrients.

Without fat our bodies don’t function. The fat helps control what goes in and out of our cell membranes. Without fat, our cells are depleted and unable to function, in other words they die.

Additionally fat is a source of energy especially required by our brain.

4  Main Types of Fats

Monounsaturated fats: found in olive oil, avocado,  and peanuts.

Saturated Fats: mostly found in meat, cheese, milk, butter, cream and eggs.

Polyunsaturated fats: most often found in nuts, seeds and vegetable oils, and in cold-blooded sea-foods.  They are classified in 2 types, omega 6 and omega 3. Both of these fatty acids are essential for the body and must be sourced from real foods. Oily fish such as herring, salmon and mackerel are excellent sources of omega 3 fatty acids. And plant foods such as nuts containing omega 6 are healthy polyunsaturated fat sources. Hemp seed oil is also an unprocessed option.

Be warned however, many vegetable oils have been highly processed which turns them into unhealthy trans fats, see below.

Trans fats: These fats are what happens after the process of hydrogenation.  These are found in vegetable oils that are highly processed and hydrogenated where the chemical structure is changed. These are hence, the most unhealthy They are most often found in processed foods and fast foods.

The Wrong Fats

The convenience of fast foods and processed foods have resulted in these types of oils added to too many foods, eaten too often.  Unfortunately, the convenience of takeaway and processed foods we pick up at the grocery store has also led to an imbalance of certain types of fats, namely omega 6 and omega 3.

Additionally, we have also increased our intake of vegetable oils including  corn, sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, cottonseed, and soybeans. All of which have high levels of omega 6, which on a daily basis, is too much for our systems to manage.Therefore these oils are processed at high temperatures turning them into trans fats.

When these are in the ideal balance of 4:1 ratio we are able to function at an optimal level.

Over time, the ratio of omega 6 fats to omega 3 has become 16:1.. As such this creates inflammation in our body which contributes to all organs not being able to work as effectively as they could. This is how disease develops over a prolonged period of time. Disease including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, inflammation, unhealthy weight gain, kidney disease, autoimmune diseases and high cholesterol.

We’ve been following the low fat era for too long.

healthy fats into your diet

As a result, the fats that have been recommended need to change. The fats we have been consuming predominantly are processed polyunsaturated fats such as vegetable oils, canola oil, and margarine. Studies have shown links between these oils and heart disease.

Naturally occurring polyunsaturated fats on the other hand, such as fish, are essential. If it’s in it’s natural form it’s safe.

The bottom line is if it’s been through an artificial, hydrogenated process at extremely high temperatures -this fat will lead to cardiovascular disease and inflammation.

Benefits and Nutrition of Fats

Increasingly more and more research points to fat being beneficial for our bodies. In particular, saturated fat, monounsaturated fat and naturally occurring polyunsaturated fat.

These fats keep your immune system healthy. They also help with vitamin absorption.

Some vitamins are fat-soluble which cannot function without adequate daily fat intake. These fat-soluble vitamins are A, D, E and K.  Therefore, if these fatty acids are in short supply these particular vitamins can’t be absorbed by the body  properly.

Leading to various problems:

  • Reduced vitamin A absorption results in poor vision.
  • Insufficient vitamin D affects bones and their capacity to absorb calcium.
  • Deficiency of vitamin E affects the body’s ability to neutralize free radicals, and
  • Without vitamin K, the body isn’t able to clot blood.

healthy fats into your diet

Fat provides our body with energy for the metabolic process of converting fats into ketones. This is essential for our high energy-hungry brain.  It also protects against inflammation and risk of cancer.

Fatty acids have anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic and anti-arrhythmic properties, indicating they reduce cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis among other diseases.

Our brain has a high need for fat which also helps with emotions and mood.

Regulates our hormones and genes.

Additionally, fat has a great flavor and is more filling meaning it makes us eat less.

Avocados contain monounsaturated fats, potassium, magnesium and fiber.

Polyunsaturated fats found in natural foods contain antioxidants. Therefore, these antioxidants eliminate free radicals thus preventing disease.


How do I find healthy fats in my diet?healthy fats into your diet

Excellent sources of healthy fat are:

  • Fish: salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel and anchovies
  • Grass fed Butter
  • Coconut Oil: refined, unrefined, virgin
  • Bacon Fat
  • Grass fed animals such as beef, lamb, chicken and pork
  • Nuts such as macadamias, walnuts, pecans, and almonds
  • Avocados
  • Olives and olive oil
  • Chia seeds
  • Walnuts
  • Flaxseeds
  • Lamb meat
  • Cheddar cheese
  • Mascarpone cheese

healthy fats into your diet


The aim of consuming more fats into the diet is to incorporate more healthy, naturally occurring essential fatty acids such as omega 3 and omega 6. This will help support the body instead of adding too much pressure and creating a burden on our organs to cope with.

Eating the right kinds of fats will lead to a healthy, better functioning, mentally alert you.




18 thoughts on “Incorporate Healthy Fats In Your Diet

  1. I had a stroke about 5 years ago and have been trying to eat more healthy. What you have shown in this article is right in line with what I have been learning. My only issue right now is getting the Omega 3 from fish because my wife hates the house smelling like fish. I even grilled the fish out and when I brought it in, the smells came with it. Is there anything that can help with the fish smell when cooking it if someone is turned off by it?
    1. Hi Rick, thanks for stopping by and commenting. I'm sorry to hear about your stroke, how scary for you. I'm glad you've found similar information to align you with healthy living. Unfortunately I'm not sure how to get rid of fish smell during the cooking process. You could try using a rangehood fan above the stove that absorbs the smells. Other alternative is you could take the fish oil supplements as an alternative for those days you can't cook. You could also have tinned fish and add to salads, or on their own which may have less odor to them. Heat through cooking might waft more easily than colder options. All the best.
  2. Quite interesting. I have also followed the recent news about coconut oil. People against higher fat , lower carb diets are quite adamant in vitriol against it. i have been looking into these things along with intermittent fasting. Thanks for the info.
    1. Hi Thomas, thanks for your comment. It's good that you're doing your own research, as it can be daunting when you start finding alternative information from the norm. The thing to focus on is success stories, and look at research behind the information. That's what I base my information from. There's many academic scholarly articles that show the benefits of healthy fats, nullifying the low fat arguments. Intermittent fasting is something our bodies have been used to for as long humans have lived, it's only since recent times that we haven't practiced it, so do look into it as a health option for you. Here's an article I posted not long ago about intermittent fasting
  3. Superb, superb, superb read about adding healthy options in our daily life, This article is so well written and informative, we usually ignore eating healthy in busy life, thank you so much for sharing this with us, will share with others too.
    1. Hi Sarah, thank you for commenting and for your enthusiastic feedback :). Getting the balance in our busy lives is tricky. That's one of my missions, to help others bring back healthy fats, and foods into their busy lives, even though keto does involve more cooking. I plan on writing up some plans for busy people, so stay tuned :). Thanks for sharing with your network :)
  4. Hi Kathleen, This post on good fats is really good. Am a great fan of eating healthily as I have seen so many people suffer because of the things they eat and of course we won't mention the smokers. Fortunately all these foods with healthy good fats are great tasting too. Thank you for this great post. All the best, Jill
    1. Hi Jill, thanks heaps for dropping by. Yes, it's unfortunate so many people's health suffer because of what they're doing to their body. What we eat is so important to our health. It sounds like you are aware of how to stay healthy and what to incorporate, well done. All the best to you too Jill.
  5. I loved this article. I have always been so confused on which fats to eat or to avoid and by this article, I believe you need a little of all of them excepr trans fat. When I saw bacon on “the good fat list”, I got excited because I love bacon and I always thought it was bad for you. Your explanation on the different types of fats were clear and precise and easy to understand. Thank you.
    1. Hi Deborah, thanks for commenting. Yes, bacon is definitely a healthy fat. I eat it heaps, and it's helping my husband lose weight by eating it too! Enjoy your bacon :). I love adding it cooked and diced into my salads with avocado, delish!
  6. I am starting to get more and more health conscious because strokes run in my family. I am single so I have always had a problem with eating too much processed food and today I think you have scared me into leaving it alone :) What really was astounding to me was what I learned today about vegetable oils. I thought all of them were healthy but now I know better. Thanks for sharing such valuable information.
    1. Hi Nate Kidd, thanks for stopping by. The marketing of these oils you've been using has been misleading (not surprisingly). Although I don't want to scare you, it is good that you have gained a greater awareness of what is healthy to support your body in the best way. Feel free to ask more questions as you learn more. Take care.
  7. Your introduction regarding the inconsistent information that’s branded about concerning the health benefits of essential fats has confused me for years, thanks for clarifying the 4 main types of fats and why they are necessary to enable our bodies to function correctly along with the consequences of why our cells and cell membranes will die if they are depleted from the energy source fats contain. Like you mention, the harmful fats such as trans fats containing omega 3 & omega 6 are contained in high doses in takeaway foods that lead to inflammation causing cardiovascular problems and weight gain to which most of us are beginning to understand yet due to their yummy taste, most of us are willing to ignore - being healthy is purely down to discipline in my book, Simon.
    1. Hi Simon, thanks for stopping by. Health is definitely a choice, and unless there's a reason or motivation to change current practices, it can be very challenging to change. Many people only stop eating the bad stuff when their bodies tell them they've had enough, like in Type 2 diabetes for instance. Take away is made to appeal and sell, so even if they contain the bad oils, it can be easy to ignore. Take care and all the best :).
  8. People struggle to differentiate the good and bad fats. But essentially, if you differentiate the good from the bad then you will enjoy the benefits. Improved immune system the leading benefit of fats in our bodies. Nice post
    1. Hi Aladin, thanks for stopping by. That's right, when we ensure we know the difference between the good fats and the bad fats, then our bodies will thank us. And without a healthy immune system, we can't fight off those bugs. All the best :).
  9. Hey Kathleen, I work out and I find that eating processed food immediately turns my stomach from flat to bloated. I also find that the more organic I eat, the worse affect it has on me. Loved your article, such a great site too!
    1. Hi Dwight, I hear what you're saying about processed foods! You sound like you're in tune with your body and can notice the impact artificial ingredients have on you. Well done! Thanks for the feedback :), all the best.

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