If you’re trying to maintain a weight loss diet, you’re probably doing your best to stay away from high-fat foods. All our lives, we were taught to view fat as the enemy of good health and to minimise our fat intake whether we’re struggling with our weight or not.
Of course, if your diet is made up of junk foods that contain hydrogenated vegetable fats, then you’re bound to experience weight gain and other health problems in the long run.
Over the years, fat has been linked to everything from cardiovascular disease and cancer to hypertension and diabetes, so even if you can eat as much as you want without putting on weight, a high-fat diet can still damage your blood vessels and organs.
But a healthy diet must include some fat. “Don’t be scared of fat,” says Susie Rucker, a nutritional therapist at Body With Soul. “It’s essential to our wellbeing. It helps the body absorb vitamins like A, D, E and K, assists in the production of hormones, keeps our skin looking good, makes us full and also regulates our appetite, crushes food cravings, and boosts the body’s fat-burning ability.” All this translates to a leaner, well-nourished body.
Not all fats are created equal, though. The fats to avoid are trans fats, which are typically found in packaged snack and convenience foods such as cookies, cakes, pies and chips.
Healthy fats are found in whole, unprocessed foods. When consumed in their natural state, they do more good than harm. Make these eight high-fat foods a part of your daily diet – be sure to practise portion control, of course – and you’ll improve your health and keep those excess kilos at bay