List Of Good Fats You Should Consume Daily

Including fats in your diet is important for multiple reasons. For starters, fats are required for assimilation of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K in the body. Fats also provide the body with energy and support cell growth. This macronutrient helps in keeping the body warm during the cold winter months. For weight management and brain function, eating fats regularly is important. The idea is to choose healthy fat sources and not the ones you get from deep fried and junk food.

The American Heart Association says that majority of fats you eat should be monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Olive oil, ghee, sesame oil and peanut oil are examples of foods rich in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats.

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Reasons why fats are important for you

According to nutritionist Nmami Agarwal, 15 to 20% of your daily calories should come from mono or polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Also read: Are You On A Keto Diet? You Must Include These Proteins And Fats In Your Diet For Quick Weight Loss

Agarwal shares a list of healthy fats that can be included in your diet:

• Nuts: Nuts like walnuts, almonds, pistachios, or cashews are packed with the goodness of essential fatty acids like omega-3 fatty acids. "These are required for adequate brain functioning and are also good for heart health," says Agarwal.
• Seeds: The tiny power-packed seeds like flaxseeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, melon seeds, sunflower seeds, or chia seeds are excellent to provide a healthy dose of beneficial fatty acids like omega-3 fatty acids. You can make your own nutty trail mix by combining various nuts and seeds.
• Avocados: This wonder fruit stands out because of its high content of healthy fat. It is rich in healthy monounsaturated fatty acids making it a unique and extremely healthy fruit.
• Fatty fish: Fatty fishes like salmon, tuna, and trout are loaded with healthy fats and help in maintaining overall health by reducing inflammation and lowering the risk of several diseases.
• Other good fat sources are: yogurt, cottage cheese, milk, whole eggs, and cold-pressed oils like flaxseed oil, coconut oil, and olive oil, says Agarwal.

Also read: Revealed! The Right Way To Consume Nuts And Seeds For Weight Loss

Another essential fat that you must include in your diet is ghee. Adding ghee to your daily diet can help you have healthy skin and hair, lesser inflammation and healthy digestive system to name a very few.

Celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar mentions that one should add one tsp of ghee in breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Ghee is a source of good fat that must be a part of your daily diet
Photo Credit: iStock

Nutritionist Mugdha Pradhan, while exemplifying a way to include fats in your diet, says, "You can half an avocado as breakfast toast, or you can have 1 tbsp walnuts and 1 tsp of flaxseeds with your meals."

No matter which diet you're on, including fats in your diet is important for your overall well-being and adequate nutrition.

Also read: Not Only Proteins, Fats And Carbohydrates But Even These Nutrients Are Essential For Your Overall Health!

(Nmami Agarwal is nutritionist at Nmami Life)

(Rujuta Diwekar is a nutritionist based in Mumbai)

(Mugdha Pradhan is a nutritionist at ThriveFNC)

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.