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<p>It's no secret that we love healthy fats. Avocados, coconut oil, olive oil and nuts are at the center of most of our meals and have even begun creeping into our beauty routine. Despite our love for healthy fats, there's still a lot of confusion out there on which are healthy and how to include them in your diet. Let's break it down. </p>
<p><strong>The Basics</strong></p>
<p>First, there are two main kinds of fats: saturated and unsaturated fats. Saturated fats have all of their binding sites filled (hence saturated) and are solid at room temperature. While most of us have been trained to believe saturated fats are bad, recent studies show that certain saturated fats are an important part of a healthy diet (<a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/12/161202094340.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">1</a>). </p>
<p>Most saturated fat comes from animal sources like fatty meat, cheese, butter and cream. These varieties are what give saturated fats a bad reputation as they've been shown to increase overall cholesterol and lead to weight gain. However, not all saturated fats are created equal, and we'll discuss later how plant-based MCTs (a specific type of saturated fat) are actually quite beneficial! (<a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/12/161202094340.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">2</a>)</p>
<p>Unsaturated fats are normally liquid at room temperature, have at least one double bond and come primarily from plant-based foods. Within the unsaturated fat category there are two types of fatty acids. First, you'll find monounsaturated fats which means they have one double bond. Monounsaturated fats can be found in high concentrations in avocados, olive oil, nuts and sunflower seeds.</p>
<p>Next up under unsaturated fats you have the polyunsaturated variety which contain more than one double bond. Two of the most important kinds of fats, Omega-3 and Omega-6 are polyunsaturated fats and key for your survival. Both of these fatty acids are essential fats which means your body cannot produce them on their own, so you need to get them through your food. This is one of the main reasons low fat diets can be so destructive.</p>
<p>Omega-3's have been shown to regulate hormones, help prevent heart disease and are great for the overall health of your cells. Some plant sources of Omega-3's include chia and flaxseeds (<a href="https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/omega-3-fats/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">3</a>). Omega-6's are great for brain health and your muscles but they also can cause inflammation. Healthy forms of Omega-6's includes foods like nuts and seeds. </p>
<p>In an ideal world, your ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 fats would be 1:1. Unfortunately, most American's are incredibly skewed here and consume 15x more Omega-6's than the body needs, and even worse, get them from unhealthy sources, like toxic, genetically modified oils including corn, soybean and safflower (<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20100107103119/http://ocw.tufts.edu/data/47/531409.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">4</a>). We suggest you ditch the processed oils for a healthy balance of nuts and seeds with flax and chia. </p>
<p><strong>Friendly Fats</strong></p>
<p>Next up, let's talk bout the differences between short, medium and long chain fatty acids, as these difference impact how your body processes and uses different types of fats.</p>
<p>Short chain fatty acids are fatty acids with less than 6 carbon atoms. These little guys are produced when your body breaks down fiber in your colon. They then provide energy for the cell lining of your colon (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26925050" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">5</a>). Eating a diet rich in veggies, fruits and legumes helps with the production of short chain fatty acids. </p>
<p>Medium chain fatty acids (also known as medium chain triglycerides or MCTs) contain between 6-12 carbon atoms and are most abundant in coconut oil! MCT's are at the top of our healthy fat list because they are digested easily and sent straight to your liver where they have the ability to positively affect your metabolism. This means they are used immediately for energy rather than stored in the body as fat. This is one of the reasons we call MCT's metabolic fats. (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18326600" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">6</a>). </p>
<p>Long chain fatty acids contain 14 or more carbon atoms and also have Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats. You can find them in some of our favorite foods like olive oil and avocado. Just like MCFA's, LCFA's are great at keeping you full and also help reduce inflammation.</p>
<p><strong>Not So Friendly Fats </strong></p>
<p>There are certain fats that you should do your best to avoid, such as toxic, GMO oils like soy, canola and corn are rich in Omega-6 fats that we discussed above. Even worse are trans fats, which are hydrogenated (read: "overly processed") Omega 6s. Trans fats are an incredibly unhealthy unsaturated fat that has been linked to heart disease (<a href="http://www.wakehealth.edu/News-Releases/2006/Trans_Fat_Leads_To_Weight_Gain_Even_on_Same_Total_Calories,_Animal_Study_Shows.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">7</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23742847" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">8</a>). Trans fats are listed as "partially hydrogenated oils" on your food packages so steer clear!</p>
<p>Healthy fats like coconut oil, almonds, walnuts and avocados are essential for a healthy glow. They are what help give our body energy, rev our metabolism and help our brains perform at their very best. So while some fats are best avoided, it's time to let the good guys in! </p>
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