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In this post you will become familiar with the principal foods rich in good fats, and I’ll share some recipes.
In my previous post, I shared that the leading cause of death among men and women in the U.S. is atherosclerosis, a type of heart disease. Atherosclerosis refers to clogged arteries with cholesterol. Review any heart disease risk factors you may have and how to eliminate/manage them in Part I.
From your Plate to Your Heart: Understanding unsaturated fats
Some types of fats in foods raise your cholesterol (and your heart disease risk); while some types of fats are better for your heart (American Heart Association, 2020). The most healthful types of fats in foods are the unsaturated fats, which are classified as either monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. They are usually liquid at room temperature. Have you ever heard of Omega-3? This is a type of unsaturated (polyunsaturated) fat that our bodies need, but is it unable to produce. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for brain health.
It is important to know that fatty foods are usually composed with a mix of different kinds of fats. For example, olive oil has both saturated (bad fats) and good fats. However, mostly of its composition is good unsaturated fats (Harvard, n.a.). Thus, we should increase the consumption of foods that have the highest concentrations of good fats.
What are the foods rich in healthful unsaturated fats?
- Nuts such as: almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, and walnuts (rich in Omega-3).
- Avocados
- Olives
- Seeds: pumpkin, sesame seeds, flaxseeds (rich in Omega 3).
- Liquid vegetable oils: Soybean, corn, safflower, canola (rich in Omega 3), flaxseed, olive, peanut, and sunflower oil.
- Fish (rich in omega-3): Including salmon, trout, and herring.
New to some of these ingredients?
If you’ve never tried some of these or are not sure how to prepare them, well, no problem. For example, I find most people are not sure how to include avocados in their diets. Check out these avocado video recipes from the American Heart Association and see if you like any of them.
For more recipes, click here.
Take away: Unsaturated (good fats) don’t raise cholesterol in your bloodstream.
Reflections: Please share on the comments below: “What was your favorite recipe?” “Do you intend to cook any of them?” “Do you intend to include any of those foods in your diet?” If you prepare anything you’ve learned here, please share your experiences!
Coming up next: Killing the Number One Killer, Part III: Give thanks to your heart on this Thanksgiving. Subscribe here to be notified of my next post.
Thanks for reading!
Rebecca
References
American Heart Association. (2021). The Skinny in fats. Retrieved from: https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/cholesterol/prevention-and-treatment-of-high-cholesterol-hyperlipidemia/the-skinny-on-fats
Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. (n.a). The nutrition Source: Types of Fats. Retrieved from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/fats-and-cholesterol/types-of-fat/
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Comments:
February 2, 2022
Dear reader, Thank you for your feedback! I have more posts coming up soon. Plase stay tuned. If you wish to participate in our classes on nutrition and healthy lifestyle, feel free to sign up to my next class using the following link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/healthy-for-life-series-1-live-session-5-virtual-sessions-tickets-243082485257?aff=eprofsaved All the best, Rebecca
February 1, 2022
Hi there Rebecca Very nice content and blog, I found it very informative and useful, hope to read more nice articles like this one around here, Keep sharing the best content, Best regards! Your follower Salvatore Cataratas
November 16, 2021
You are welcome, Catherine! Please subscribe to be notified of my next posts. Take care, Rebecca
November 16, 2021
Wonderful tips! Thanks for sharing!
November 16, 2021
Thank you! I hope you can implement some of these tips. Stay tuned for my next posts. Take care, Rebecca
November 16, 2021
Thanks for these suggestions I'll think about while shopping for our big holiday meal. We did try a tofurkey loaf last thanksgiving and everyone enjoyed it, but i didn't know about some of these other substitutions to helpmy health
November 16, 2021
Very well prepared and healthy list diet! Thank you Rebecca!
November 12, 2021
Thank you eericdw07! I'm very glad you are finding this information helpful! I hope you find the recipes tasty! Stay tuned for my next post next week! All the best, Rebecca
November 12, 2021
Hi, I really love to read your blog, it’s such a rich information, I particularly love two recipes above on the second video avocado in the egg and the last one avocado and strawberry... I hope learn those recipes for keep a good health and have a wonderful thanksgiving.. well it’s going to be one more thing to be thankful for .
November 12, 2021
“What was your favorite recipe?” “Do you intend to cook any of them?” “Do you intend to include any of the unsaturated rich foods in your diet?”
November 9, 2021
Hello Lamont, Thank you for your comment, and I'm sorry about your father. Improving your diet is a crucial step to preventing heart disease. Please subscribe to receive notifications on my next posts about diet and heart disease prevention. All the best, Rebecca
November 9, 2021
Thanks for this info! I don't smoke, but I can see I probably need to improve my diet. My pops died of heart disease last year!
April 7, 2021
The researchers I talked to believe it is any kind of oak, at least the kinds that grow here in Florida. Our oaks will hybridize and it can be difficult to tell them apart. They believe there is some antibacterial property in the oaks that helps the citrus overcome HLB. They are not sure what it is, so research continues. It could be some type of peptide like that found in finger limes that also has antibiotic properties and is being developed for HLB therapy. It could also be that the oaks create a healthier soil microflora that allows the trees to resist HLB. Research will tell, but it is something that homeowners can try now before we know exactly how it works.
April 7, 2021
You mentioned Laurel Oak in your article. My property in Fort Pierce has several different oak varieties, and although I am not certain which varieties they are, I have heard them referred to as Live Oak and others as Scrub Oak. Are these leaves also believed to be beneficial in trying to counteract the effects of HLB in citrus?
February 1, 2021
You can grow native persimmons or Kaki persimmons. Kaki persimmons are more popular because there are non-astringent types which can be eaten firm or soft. Many nurseries provide Kaki persimmons. More information about growing persimmons can be found at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_persimmon. Popular cultivar information about which cultivars to grow can be found at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg242. A local nursery near you that provides persimmons is Chestnut Hill, https://chestnuthilltreefarm.com/product-category/fruit-oak-trees/persimmon-trees/, but you need only search online for Kaki persimmon to find more.
January 30, 2021
Hello, please give information where we can buy persimmon tree? And which kind is good for Marion County. Thank you, Tasha
April 22, 2020
The blueberry gardener's guide at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg359 provides some guidance on the amount of water blueberries need at various times of year. It depends on your soil type, the blueberry being grown, and the environmental conditions.
April 20, 2020
Whats a typical bluenerry water use curve in South Florida?
April 13, 2020
The research was done on plots without crops, so there was no comparison of yields. Vinegar works by burning back leaves on contact, so great care should be taken when using around crops. Glyphosate is translocated within the plant to kill weeds and even greater care should be taken when using that around crops.
April 12, 2020
How did the crop outputs fair with the different applications? Was the crop yield less with some because of the intensity of the application? Could you use an application to control weeds within the crop growing peruod? I am a strong adcocate against "Roundup"! I don't even know why it is still legal to use. I know of a farm that uses a combination of powerful weed killers (obviously not organic) and the overspray floats over to a horse pasture and burns their grazing grass.
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