Healthy fats are an important part of any dietary approach to wellness. Although many well-intentioned eaters religiously avoid fatty foods, eating the right kinds of fat can actually benefit your health. But what exactly are healthy fats, and where are they found?
What Are Healthy Fats?
Healthy fats consist of both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Oleic acid represents the majority of monounsaturated fats that we consume, while omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids compose the bulk of polyunsaturated fats found in a well-rounded diet.
Polyunsaturated fats are essential fats, meaning that your body requires them but can’t produce them independently. Instead, they must be derived from food.
Fish and dairy are not the only rich sources of healthy fats. In fact, your daily recommended dose of healthy fats can be derived entirely from plant-based foods. Excellent plant-based sources of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats include:
- Avocados
- Nuts
- Flax
- Tofu
- Edamame
- Chia seeds
- Olive oil
Healthy fats differ immensely from trans fats and saturated fats, both of which are highly processed byproducts of hydrogenation. Unsaturated fats retain a liquid form at room temperature, but during hydrogenation, they are converted into trans fats and saturated fats that remain solid at room temperature. These are used to make commercially-produced crackers, cookies, fast food, and more.
While trans fats and saturated fats can be harmful to your health, unsaturated fats have been shown to improve health outcomes.
Why Are Healthy Fats Important?
Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are known as “heart healthy fats” because they help reduce the body’s levels of artery-clogging LDL cholesterol. This significantly lowers your risk of heart disease and stroke. Healthy fats are also crucial to cell growth, and are used to create cell membranes as well as to sheath nearby nerves.
Overall, healthy fats are vital to many fundamental bodily functions. Without them, your blood can’t clot properly, and your muscles won’t move like they should. Furthermore, healthy fats help fight inflammation, provide energy, fuel the brain, combat stress, and help balance hormones. Healthy fats also help your body absorb vitamins and minerals.
So what’s the most efficient and sustainable way to incorporate these essential healthy fats into your diet?
The Power of Plant-Based Healthy Fats
Studies have demonstrated that a plant-based diet is associated with positive health outcomes, particularly when animal protein is replaced with plant protein. Both red and white meats have equally negative effects on blood cholesterol levels, due to their saturated fat content. Plant-based foods, however, have little saturated fat and also provide soluble fiber, which helps lower cholesterol levels.
Additionally, plants are the most sustainable way to incorporate healthy fats into your diet. Animal agriculture creates nearly 68% of food emissions while providing only 18% of calories consumed. Our current food system, which revolves around industrial agribusiness, is a major driver of climate change.
Luckily, we can work to change that. The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change identified plant-based eating as a major opportunity to mitigate the effects of climate change. If you’re in search of sustainable dietary solutions, Thistle has you covered.
How Thistle Can Help
Thistle’s mouthwatering meals embrace a well-rounded approach to nutrition with plant-based ingredients. We use fresh, real food to reconnect people to their communities and environment. Our gourmet dishes are carefully crafted by chefs to deliver all the nourishment your body craves.
Thistle meals always contain 20g+ of plant protein derived from sources like tofu, tempeh, nuts, seeds, legumes, ancient grains and more. Our dishes are also dairy-free, leaning on house-made nut milks, coconut creams, nut cheeses, and seed butters to deliver creaminess. These delicious, plant-based ingredients ensure that you can enjoy your daily recommended dose of healthy fats and proteins the sustainable way, without sacrificing flavor.
Give Thistle a try with 20% off your first order using the code HEALTHYFATS20 at checkout.
Healthy fats are an important part of any dietary approach to wellness. Although many well-intentioned eaters religiously avoid fatty foods, eating the right kinds of fat can actually benefit your health. But what exactly are healthy fats, and where are they found?
What Are Healthy Fats?
Healthy fats consist of both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Oleic acid represents the majority of monounsaturated fats that we consume, while omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids compose the bulk of polyunsaturated fats found in a well-rounded diet.
Polyunsaturated fats are essential fats, meaning that your body requires them but can’t produce them independently. Instead, they must be derived from food.
Fish and dairy are not the only rich sources of healthy fats. In fact, your daily recommended dose of healthy fats can be derived entirely from plant-based foods. Excellent plant-based sources of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats include:
- Avocados
- Nuts
- Flax
- Tofu
- Edamame
- Chia seeds
- Olive oil
Healthy fats differ immensely from trans fats and saturated fats, both of which are highly processed byproducts of hydrogenation. Unsaturated fats retain a liquid form at room temperature, but during hydrogenation, they are converted into trans fats and saturated fats that remain solid at room temperature. These are used to make commercially-produced crackers, cookies, fast food, and more.
While trans fats and saturated fats can be harmful to your health, unsaturated fats have been shown to improve health outcomes.
Why Are Healthy Fats Important?
Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are known as “heart healthy fats” because they help reduce the body’s levels of artery-clogging LDL cholesterol. This significantly lowers your risk of heart disease and stroke. Healthy fats are also crucial to cell growth, and are used to create cell membranes as well as to sheath nearby nerves.
Overall, healthy fats are vital to many fundamental bodily functions. Without them, your blood can’t clot properly, and your muscles won’t move like they should. Furthermore, healthy fats help fight inflammation, provide energy, fuel the brain, combat stress, and help balance hormones. Healthy fats also help your body absorb vitamins and minerals.
So what’s the most efficient and sustainable way to incorporate these essential healthy fats into your diet?
The Power of Plant-Based Healthy Fats
Studies have demonstrated that a plant-based diet is associated with positive health outcomes, particularly when animal protein is replaced with plant protein. Both red and white meats have equally negative effects on blood cholesterol levels, due to their saturated fat content. Plant-based foods, however, have little saturated fat and also provide soluble fiber, which helps lower cholesterol levels.
Additionally, plants are the most sustainable way to incorporate healthy fats into your diet. Animal agriculture creates nearly 68% of food emissions while providing only 18% of calories consumed. Our current food system, which revolves around industrial agribusiness, is a major driver of climate change.
Luckily, we can work to change that. The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change identified plant-based eating as a major opportunity to mitigate the effects of climate change. If you’re in search of sustainable dietary solutions, Thistle has you covered.
How Thistle Can Help
Thistle’s mouthwatering meals embrace a well-rounded approach to nutrition with plant-based ingredients. We use fresh, real food to reconnect people to their communities and environment. Our gourmet dishes are carefully crafted by chefs to deliver all the nourishment your body craves.
Thistle meals always contain 20g+ of plant protein derived from sources like tofu, tempeh, nuts, seeds, legumes, ancient grains and more. Our dishes are also dairy-free, leaning on house-made nut milks, coconut creams, nut cheeses, and seed butters to deliver creaminess. These delicious, plant-based ingredients ensure that you can enjoy your daily recommended dose of healthy fats and proteins the sustainable way, without sacrificing flavor.
Give Thistle a try with 20% off your first order using the code HEALTHYFATS20 at checkout.
