There are (almost) only good fatsGood fats, bad fats? The classification has long been clear-cut, but according to new findings, there's not much to the nutritional wisdom of recent decades. Why you can even lose weight with a high-fat diet. Which foods are particularly healthy.
For many years, the roles were clearly divided: Unsaturated fatty acids were considered to be the good fats that had a positive effect on our health and that we could consume with a clear conscience. Saturated fatty acids however stood in the call for dramatically high Cholesterinwerte to provide, the stroke risk to increase and heart attacks to release. Proved these alarming statements again and again by allegedly independent scientific studies.
Saturated fatty acids are healthy
But times have changed and saturated fats are slowly but surely losing their bad reputation. Because new findings show that they are by no means as harmful to health as long amed. On the contrary: in truth, saturated fatty acids apparently even have positive effects on our health. The buck now stops with isolated carbohydrates, i.e. white flour, starch and sugar. The good news is that fat is healthy.
We need it for many processes that constantly take place in our body. The best example is our brain, more than half of which consists of fat. The famous "trail mix" bears its name for a reason; nuts are extremely high in fat. Have helped many generations of learners to achieve maximum concentration, for example in exam situations. If we stick to the new findings, however, other snacks could be used to boost memory performance in the future. Best based on these five healthy fats:
1. Fats from grass-eating animals
Of course, no one will consume animal fat such as bone marrow, tallow or lard pure, but it can be used in food or cooking. It should come from grass-eating animals, such as cattle, sheep or pigs; poultry fat should not be included.
2. Pure butterfat/ghee
But ghee, i.e. pure butterfat, which has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years. Consumed in large quantities, it is supposed to significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. It also contains the fat-soluble vitamins A, E, D, and K and suppresses the appetite.
3. Virgin coconut oil
Coconut oil, unlike many other vegetable fats, can be heated without losing its nutrients. It is therefore very suitable for frying and cooking. Because of its high content of saturated fatty acids, it has long had a bad reputation – unjustly, as it turns out. Allegedly it increases brain power. Even supports fat burning.
4. Fish oil
Fish oil is also good for the brain. Apart from that it has anti-inflammatory effects. Improves heart health. This is due to the many omega-3 fatty acids they contain, whose positive effect on our health is almost legendary. They cannot be produced by the body itself, which is why it is all the more important to get them from our food. Here is a tasty pike-perch recipe.
5. Avocado oil
Vegetarians and vegans can breathe a sigh of relief: In addition to coconut oil, another representative of vegetable fats is represented among the top 5. The best way to absorb the high quality fats of avocado is to simply eat it. So if you're literally sick of trail mix, you can enjoy a juicy wholemeal bread topped with avocado and tomato for your next exam.
Of course, it is quite possible that the fat discussion will look completely different in a few years. But here, too, the following applies: those who rely on high-quality foods and enjoy them in moderation are on the safe side.
Trans fats are the real culprits
All experts agree that one type of fat is definitely bad for our health: trans fats. Incidentally, these have absolutely nothing to do with saturated fatty acids. They are formed when fats are hardened in industrial fat processing and are accordingly found in highly processed foods such as ready-to-eat pizza, baked goods, chips, etc. contain. The trans fats actually have exclusively negative consequences. Inhibit even the effect of the above omega-3.