A healthy diet doesn't mean giving up the foods you love. While you don't have to surrender your favorite foods entirely, it is important to eat foods with a high nutritional value. So, how can you have your cake and eat it too? Simply swap out low-nutrient ingredients for healthier alternatives.
Eating high-fat foods is an essential part of a healthy diet. Aside from the nutritional benefit of healthy fats, they can also improve the texture, flavor and satiety of meals. When creating high-fat meals, it's important that you choose foods that provide “good” fats—monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Because fat is high in calories, you must also balance the number of calories you consume from eating with the calories you burn. So, how can you begin adding more healthy fats to your diet? Keep scrolling to discover how to eat more healthy fats.
Use Healthier Oils
Cooking in the kitchen? Cooking your meals with healthy, high-fat oils is a great way to add fat to your meal without swapping ingredients. Nourishing oils like olive oil are rich in healthy fats and a simple way to sneak this macronutrient into your dish. Use olive oil in the kitchen to keep your foods from sticking to the pan, add a spoonful of it to your smoothies, or use it to create a light salad dressing!
Eat Omega-3 Weekly
Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat that you don't want to miss out on. Omega-3s are said to provide many health benefits ranging from pain relief to brain health.
So, where can you find this wonder nutrient? Fatty fish is one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Fish like salmon and mackerel are packed with this essential nutrient. While you don't have to eat a plate of fish every day, incorporating a few fish-filled meals into your weekly menu is a great way to ensure that you are getting enough omega-3s in your diet.
Enjoying more fresh fish-based meals is a great way to consume more omega-3s while also watching your calories. When it comes to fish, seasoning is everything, and most dishes can be customized to your taste preferences.
If you're craving comfort food but dreading the added calories, carbs and trans fats that often accompany processed foods, this 5 Ingredient Almond Crusted Halibut is the perfect recipe. A healthier version of breaded dishes, it's a nutritious entree that won't take much time to make. To make this meal, fresh halibut is dressed in butter, lemon and almond flour and baked until crispy and golden. To keep this entree light, we recommend pairing this dish with a plate of your favorite grilled veggies. Or, if you're in need of a more filling meal, choose to pair it with a rice pilaf plate.
Not a fan of fish? Don't worry! Chia seeds, flaxseed, avocado and walnuts are excellent plant-based sources of omega-3s. And, if you're still worried about getting enough of this nutrient, you can take fish supplements.
For a recipe sans fish rich in omega-3s, make this Chia Seed Protein Pudding. The great thing about this healthy pudding is that it can be enjoyed in the evening as a post-dinner treat or served during the day as a healthy boost of energy between meals. Made with only three ingredients, it's quick to make and can be flavored with just about anything you choose. In this recipe, we decided to add fresh raspberries, diced peaches, almonds and pecans to create a sweet and nutty flavor profile that satisfies all cravings. For an extra boost of nutrition, ¾ cup of our Vanilla Protein Powder Booster was used. Made with healthy, wholesome ingredients, less than a scoop of this powder is needed to boost the nutrients by tenfold.
High-Fat Smoothies
Smoothies are the perfect treat to sneak an extra boost of healthy fat into. Avocados, walnuts, peanut butter and coconut oil are all high-fat healthy foods that can easily be incorporated into your favorite smoothie recipe.
Not sure where to start? Try out this Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Booster. An excellent source of protein and fiber, this smoothie offers up 240 mg of omega-3s per serving! The perfect combo of healthy, high-fat peanut butter and our Chocolate Protein Powder Nutritional Booster creates a filling vegan recipe rich in iron. Make this recipe in the mornings to enjoy heading out the door or enjoy it in the afternoon as on-the-go lunch.
Work Fatty Oils into Salad Dressing
If you're reviewing this week's menu and notice that it lacks in healthy fats, don't fret! Incorporating more healthy fats into your diet is effortless. For a quick way to boost the fat content of any meal, whip up an oil-based dressing like this Asian Chia Ginger Dressing.
A mouthwatering mix of vibrant flavors, this dressing combines lime, coconut aminos, honey and high-fat, healthy chia seeds to create a beautifully textured dressing that you can use in a variety of dishes. Made with only high-quality ingredients, it's a dressing that will add vitamins, minerals and flavor to whatever you combine it with. Comparable to a poppy seed dressing, the chia seeds add thickness to this recipe that is hard to achieve otherwise.
Drizzle this nutritious dressing over your favorite salad or use it as a sauce to coat your protein-packed plate.
Use Fatty Foods as a Garnish
If healthy fats aren't the centerpiece of your meals, that's okay! For an easy way to include more fats into your dish without making it the center of attention, try working them into the recipe as a garnish. Olives, avocado and walnuts are just a few of many high-fat foods that can be used to top off a tasty meal. Shred, grate or chop these ingredients and add them to your plate for a healthy dose of beneficial fats.
Craving a savory breakfast but only have waffle ingredients on hand? Why not make both?! This high-fat, nutritious Gluten Free Cornmeal Waffles with Avocado Corn Salsa Recipe taste similar to cornbread with an added Tex-Mex flair. Topped with healthy fat foods like avocado, mixed with salsa and maple syrup, this breakfast is a sweet and salty treat loaded with nutrients. Make in small batches, or double up the recipe to easily feed a crowd!
Enjoy Fat-Filled Snacks
Fat doesn't have to be a staple in your daily meals. In fact, why not start your healthy diet by enjoying high-fat foods as a snack. Foods like nuts and seeds are a high-fat food that's easy to snack on. Plus, a little goes a long way. Just a handful of high-fat nuts like walnuts is an excellent way to get an adequate amount of good fat. If you are not a fan of eating these foods on their own, then we suggest eating them via a delicious granola like this Coconut Spice Homestyle Granola. A true treat, Our Coconut Spice Homestyle Granola can be enjoyed as a snack, with milk as cereal, or added to yogurt to create a flavor-packed parfait. It's made with whole grain oats, real maple syrup, coconut and nutritious seeds and baked in small batches to create a beautifully made granola that tastes fresh from the oven.
Eat High-Fat Foods for Dessert
Fat bombs have been growing in popularity due to the keto diet. A high-fat, low carb snack, fat bombs are used to curb sugar cravings while also supplying healthy fats and essential nutrients. By using wholesome, high-fat foods like coconut oil and almond butter, delicious desserts can be made with no baking required!
Eager to try out a high-fat dessert yourself? Satisfy your sweet tooth with these delicious Paleo Chocolate Avocado Mousse Tartlets. To make this dessert, crunchy chocolate shells are filled with a rich base of avocado chocolate mousse. For an extra boost of sweetness, they are then topped with raspberries and served chilled. Easier to make than traditional chocolate mousse, this dessert is one that the entire family will enjoy.
When choosing healthy, high-fat foods to add to your diet, there are many options. Sneak omegas-3s into homemade salad dressings, or create a high-fat dish featuring a plate of fresh fish. No matter how you choose to include healthy fats into your meals, what matters is that you do! Getting an adequate amount of healthy fats through the food that you eat is a crucial part of a well balanced, nutritious diet. We hope that this list of healthy fats to eat helps better guide you when deciding which fats to include as a pet of your diet. From everyone at Bob's Red Mill, have a healthy, food-filled day!
