When you think of weight loss-friendly foods, your mind may initially jump to low-calorie, low-sugar, and low-fat. But while it’s certainly important to limit your intake of processed ingredients and unhealthy fats, it’s also important to remember that fat isn’t your enemy—in fact, getting enough healthy fats into your diet is crucial to your overall health, even if you’re trying to shed a few pounds.
To learn more about the importance of healthy fats, we spoke to nutritionist Lisa Richards, creator of The Candida Diet, and Joanna Wen, health coach and founder of Spices & Greens. They told us that healthy fats are an essential part of a balanced diet for so many reasons, but when it comes to weight loss in particular, their roles in satiation and hormone production become crucial. Learn more below!
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Healthy fats help you stay full
One of the most important parts of any healthy meal is its ability to fill you up and keep you full, especially if you're trying to lose weight. A satiating meal will make it much easier to resist cravings, snacking, and overeating later in the day—and as it turns out, one of the best ways to ensure a meal is satiating is to add healthy fats to the mix.
"Healthy fats can help you feel fuller for longer, which can reduce overall calorie intake and promote weight loss," Richards explains. "This is because fats take longer to digest and help slow down the absorption of other nutrients, leading to a slower and more sustained release of energy." Nice!
Healthy fats help with hormone production
In addition to keeping you full throughout the day, healthy fats are also crucial to keeping your hormone levels balanced—and that includes some of the most important hormones for weight loss.
"Healthy fats are essential for the production of hormones that regulate metabolism and appetite, such as leptin and ghrelin," Richards tells us. "Without enough healthy fats in the diet, hormone levels may become imbalanced, leading to increased appetite and decreased metabolism." The more you know!
Best healthy fats for weight loss
So, now that it's clear just how important it is eat healthy fats every day, what are some of the best options out there? Wen tells us that, in general, you should "strive for ones that are high in monounsaturated fat and contain omega-3 fatty acids, both of which can reduce cholesterol levels while still providing your body with the fuel necessary to boost metabolism."
As far as the best choices you can add to your meals, she recommends avocados, nuts or nut butters, extra virgin olive oil, fatty fish (salmon or sardines), or coconut oil. Yum! Time to get cooking.
