8 high-fat foods that can help you lose weight
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PUBLISHED ONAugust 04, 2020 9:52 AMBySasha Gonazales
If you're trying to drop excess kilograms or maintain a healthy weight, 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 so 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.
8 high-fat foods that can help you lose weight
1. Avocado
This creamy fruit contains mostly monounsaturated fat. As well as helping to lower bad cholesterol, this good fat takes a while to digest, increasing the feeling of fullness and thus preventing binge eating.
2. Grass-fed beef
Grass-fed beef is high in quality protein, which fills you up and prevents cravings.
Plus, it has a type of omega-6 fatty acid called CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) which, in Scandinavian studies, has been found to fight fat, particularly the stubborn kind in the mid-section.
3. Coconut oil
The body converts this oil into energy immediately instead of storing it as fat. This helps raise your metabolic rate, boosting your body’s ability to burn energy.
4. Egg yolks
Many studies have found that people who eat eggs for breakfast consumed about 400 fewer calories throughout the day than people who don’t. The reason? The protein in the yolk keeps you feeling full for longer.
5. Ghee
Also known as clarified butter, it contains CLA, which is believed to improve lean body mass while reducing body fat.
6. Nuts
A good source of protein and fibre, nuts stabilise blood sugar levels and create a feeling of being more full, so you have fewer cravings for unhealthy foods.
Your best picks are almonds, walnuts and cashews – go for the varieties with no added oil or salt.
7. Olive oil
This fruity oil staves off hunger pangs and helps the body break down fat more efficiently.
8. Salmon
It is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which a few studies have shown to reduce body fat and decrease blood sugar levels, particularly if one follows a healthy lifestyle overall.
This article was first published in Her World Online.