?Although most people trying lose weight or attempting to maintain their optimum weight may avoid all fats like the plague, the truth is that not all fats are equal and some of them are actually good for you and can boost your health without adding any unwanted pounds.
When it comes to healthy cooking fats the main factor to pay attention to is to match the smoke, or burning point of a particular cooking oil with the foods you plan to cook. This means when you want to cook food at very high heat or sauté it, you need to select a cooking oil with a high burn temperature which is also the temperature at which your cooking fat or oil will begin to break down. Obviously, burning your cooking oil is not desirable and can add carcinogenic carbon compounds to your food. Good candidate oils for high heat include coconut oil that has fatty acid profile and high burn temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Ghee butter as used in Indian cooking and also known as clarified butter is also a good no odor cooking oil with a high burn point of
485 degrees Fahrenheit, and grape seed oil is another option with a burn point of 420 degrees Fahrenheit. Olive oil is full of good monounsaturated fats and is best used for low to medium heat cooking because the burn point can vary. The more refined the olive oil is, the higher the burn point will be, and a typical extra virgin olive oil will usually have a burn point of around 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Healthy fats are very important when it comes to losing weight and maintaining overall health and over the last decade conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has been used successfully to stimulate lipolysis, or the breakdown of fat in the hips, thighs and butt region. Data shows consistent use of 4 - 5 grams of CLA per day over 3 months can deliver impressive results. The different forms of form of linoleic acid utilize healthy fats to get rid of unwanted body fat and also help to boost levels of adiponectin, an important belly fat hormone that naturally decreases as people age and makes people more likely to store fat around their midsection. Research shows two tablespoons per day of safflower oil is enough to target belly fat and deliver visible results. Combining good fats with healthy proteins and low-glycemic carbohydrates like almonds, walnuts and raw, unsalted sunflower seeds are healthy options too.
The health benefits of omega-3 oils from fish have been known for years and they have proven to help lower triglyceride levels and improve overall heart health. The latest source of omega-3 oils to become popular is Krill oil, an oil that is also rich in astaxanthin, a chemical that can help increase the absorption of the omega-3s in the body. Organic flax oil is another healthy oil that can be taken by the spoonful or used in salad dressings. Flax oil and flax seeds are packed with health boosting lignans and fiber too.
The research shows that you don’t have to shun all fats anymore just to avoid putting on unwanted pounds. In fact, using selected oils for cooking and as dietary supplements can actually help you shed those unwanted pounds and maintain a healthier overall metabolism.
