Human beings are curious creatures. In the pursuit of vitality, we\u2019ve created myths about a\u00a0supposed fountain of youth; we\u2019ve talked ourselves into drinking \u2018cockroach milk\u2019, out of\u00a0eating certain fruits, and rationalised ingesting tapeworms in order to aid weight loss. One of\u00a0the more contentious food groups is the Fat and Oil Group.<\/p>\n
Fat is naturally found in a number of foods. Healthy, or unsaturated, fats can be consumed\u00a0through certain vegetable oils, nuts and fish. These fats protect the heart and decrease\u00a0inflammation, making cardiovascular activity possible. Omega 3 Fatty Acid gives the brain\u00a0and certain nerves a boost, helping you at the office or in the classroom. Fatty acids also\u00a0slow down the digestion process while stimulating cholecystokinin which is a hormone that\u00a0tells the brain it is full. Unsaturated fats are integral to helping the body absorb certain\u00a0nutrients like Vitamins A, D, E and K, as well as vital antioxidants.<\/p>\n
Junk food, on the other hand, is lousy with unsaturated fat which does nothing for your body\u00a0but clog your arteries and increase your cholesterol.<\/p>\n
It seems obvious which one we should reach for at the grocery store, but if we don\u2019t know
\nwhat good fats are, we cannot make informed decisions.<\/p>\n
Hipsters and millennials aren\u2019t just smearing this fruit on their toast for retweets and\u00a0hashtags, they\u2019re actually onto something. An average avocado contains 23 grams of fat,\u00a0which is about half the daily recommended allowance (44 – 78 grams). The cholesterol-free\u00a0pear is also packed with 40 percent of your daily fiber needs, and is a good source of lutein\u00a0which is an antioxidant that protects your vision.<\/p>\n
Substitute the butter on your slice low-GI with half an avo a day and you\u2019ll enjoy the slow\u00a0release of the high calorie food, meaning you stay fuller for longer.<\/p>\n
A great source of fiber, protein and healthy fats. Chia and hemp seeds have a healthy dose\u00a0of Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Chia seeds can increase ALA in your blood, which help reduce\u00a0inflammation. This means that you\u2019ll bounce back quicker after a exercise related injury than\u00a0if you weren\u2019t getting your fair share in the fatty acid.<\/p>\n
Whether you\u2019re nibbling on 5 -10 olives at a time or using olive oil in your kitchen, these bite-sized drupes are 80% water, and yet 74% of their fat content is oleic acid which protects\u00a0against degenerative diseases like alzheimer\u2019s, osteoporosis and cancer.<\/p>\n
This stone fruit might have grown from the elusive Fountain of Youth, as it has proven to
\nreduce wrinkles by 20%.<\/p>\n
Eat your heart out chocolate lovers, this treat is just for you. Four bars contain 9 grams of fat\u00a0and a number of other healthy nutrients like Vitamins A, B and E, calcium and flavonoids\u00a0which are plant-based antioxidants. Dark chocolate also contains a decent amount of\u00a0potassium. Many fitness fanatics eat a banana before hitting the gym to get their shot of\u00a0potassium, you can have some chocolate instead. Did you know you get at least 3 grams of\u00a0fiber from a single serving too?<\/p>\n
Wait are we talking about a sweet treat here or a vegetable?<\/p>\n
Get it fresh or from the stockpile of your canned tuna, you\u2019ll still be treated to a high amount\u00a0of healthy fats and omega-3. Oily fish like tuna, sardines, mackerel and salmon slow down\u00a0the growth of plaque in your arteries and reduces inflammation throughout the body. 170\u00a0grams a week is more than enough fish, any more and you expose yourself to the risk of\u00a0mercury poisoning.<\/p>\n
Human beings are curious creatures. In the pursuit of vitality, we\u2019ve created myths about a\u00a0supposed fountain of youth; we\u2019ve talked ourselves into drinking \u2018cockroach milk\u2019, out of\u00a0eating certain fruits, and rationalised ingesting tapeworms in order to aid weight loss. One of\u00a0the more contentious food groups…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":32227,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n