Fats have a place in every healthy, balanced diet—which is great because they add delicious flavor and texture to food as well as slow digestion (which contributes to the feeling of satiety). The key is to choose more of the healthy fats and less of the unhealthy fats, through moderation. Here are some tips to follow:
- Skip the bottled, creamy salad dressing and make your own with heart-healthy oils, like olive oil, walnut oil or avocado oil. Mix two parts oil with one part vinegar, add your favorite herbs and enjoy!
- Stir ground flaxseed into your cereal, smoothies, yogurt, pancake batter and muffin mix. Flax seeds are a great source of heart-healthy omega-3 fats.
- Go nuts! Toss a few into salads, spread nut butter on whole grain bread, or snack on pistachios when hunger strikes. Just be mindful of portion size and stick to a 1-ounce serving (an example of one ounce of nuts: 49 pistachios or 24 almonds).
- Add avocado to sandwiches and salads or toss some into your morning smoothie for some added creamy texture.
- Chia seeds swell when placed in liquids, creating a pudding-like texture. Make chia seed pudding at home by whisking into the milk of your choice with yogurt and a little maple syrup.
- Sprinkle sunflower seeds into salads for an added crunch. Toast them first to really enhance their flavor.
- Mix tahini and cumin into plain nonfat yogurt for a chicken marinade, or blend it with chickpeas in a food processor for a homemade hummus.
- Swap chicken for salmon – bake salmon in the oven with your favorite sauce and serve over noodles or brown rice.
- When you’re craving something salty, skip the chips and reach for olives. Just a few can curb your craving and fill you up.
- Eat the whole egg! The fat found in the yolk is the healthy kind so there’s no need to toss them aside. Keep hard-boiled eggs in the fridge for a quick grab-and-go breakfast or snack.
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