How to Minimize Bad Fats in All Your Meals and Add the Good Ones (With Recipes)

We live in a society where saturated fats and trans fats are abundant in our food supply. From packaged to fast food, the “bad” fats are hidden everywhere. But, this doesn’t mean you should avoid fats altogether. You shouldn’t forget the “good” ones either: the unsaturated fats.

Unsaturated fats provide essential fatty acids to our body and fat-soluble vitamins, such as A, D, E, and K, while lowering our cholesterol levels. And, the human body needs some fat for energy and to sustain a healthy nervous system while maintaining cell functions.

So, what can you do about that [fill in blank here]? Easy, minimize “bad” fats and moderate your “good” fat intake. That muffin top will be gone by summer.

It’s important to note that fats — both good and bad ones — pack on about twice the amount of calories per gram than other categories, such as carbohydrates and protein. So, don’t over do the good fats either. A good rule of thumb is to to eat a small amount of healthy fat throughout the day, so that the fats in your meals could contribute to sustained energy all day. So don’t try to avoid as much fats as possible and eat all your recommended daily fat intake in one sitting.

The recommended daily fat intake for an average 2,000 calorie per day diet is 44 – 78 grams, according to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. This averages to about 20 to 35 percent of your daily caloric intake.

Healthy fats consists of avocados, olive oil, nuts, and seeds, to name a few. Check out some low in “bad,” high in “good” fats recipes below for some inspiration:

1. Vegan Humdinger – Hummus, Carrots, Avocado, & Alfafa Sprouts 

 2. Oat Quick Bread with Sunflower Seeds and Flax

3. Raw Vegan Almond Fig Bars

4.Raw Zucchini Pasta with Avocado-Cucumber Sauce

5. Pistachio Artichoke Pesto Quinoa

6. Raw Hemp Chia Seed Bars

7. Fig, Peach, and Chia Smoothie

8. Raw Vegan Goji Snack Chunks

9. Spicy Asian Cucumber Avocado Onion Salad

10. Artichoke and Olive Pizza

 Lead image source: Vegan Humdinger