If you look on the nutritional facts on many food labels you will see listed several fats. One is monounsaturated. We know that saturated and trans fat are bad for us but what about monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. In this posting I am providing information on monounsaturated and in a future post will discuss polyunsaturated.
Your body makes it own fat from excess calories however some fats are also in our foods from plants and animals. This type of fat is called dietary fat. "According to the Mayo Clinic, studies show that eating foods rich in monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) improve blood cholesterol levels, which decreases your risk of heart disease. Research also shows that MUFAs may benefit insulin levels and blood sugar control, which can be especially helpful if you have type 2 diabetes,"(Mayo Clinic, 2012).
Monounsaturated fatty acids, known as MUFAs are the healthy fats that benefit weight loss. Including the following foods that contain MUFAs in your diet will help you burn belly fat. These are foods that you can easiely include in your diet everyday. They are also inexpensive and taste great. MUFAs are in many oils such as peanut, olive, flaxseed, safflower, seasame, and walnut. One tablespoon is considered a serving. Remember MUFAs are not the bad fate such as trans or some saturated fats (not to include the saturated fat in coconut oil). I use olive oil when I fry eggs or saute chicken or make stir fry. Olive oil is also great on salad with some vinegar. I use coconut oil in my baking instead of vegetable shortening.
Remember that monounsaturated fats should be added daily into your diet to help you burn that unwanted belly fat. These food choices of great between snacks and provide the added boost of fat burning monounsaturated fat. If your looking for healthy snacks to eat while watching TV or between meals the following are some great choices.
Nuts and seeds such as peanuts, pecans, almonds, cashews, and sunflower seeds are all great additions and rich in healthy fat. You can eat them by themselves as a snack on the go. You can also add them to your favorite muffin and cookie recipes and in oatmeal, yogurt, cereal, and even in bread. I enjoy almond butter as a change from peanut butter on celery or in my yogurt. Two tablespoons of nuts/seeds are a great snack and will provide the healthy monounsaturated fat burning oil needed in your diet.
Avocado falls under the MUFA category. As I have posted in the past I believe avocados are one of the top foods to get rid of belly fat. There are many ways to use avocados in your daily diet. Homemade or natural store bought guacamole is great on omelets or used to make egg salad. I use avocados slices on my hamburger, in salads, and in my fudge recipe. 1/4 cup is considered a serving. You should try to include avocados whenever possible into your diet for they are powerful at burning belly fat.
Olives are another food to help burn off belly fat. They are full of MUFAs and are tasty when added to salads, in pasta, or on top of pizza. I love just eating black olives with some celery, sharp cheese, and sprouted grain crackers as a healthy snack. Olives are also great tasting in omelets and on a hamburger or sandwich. One serving equals about 10 large olives and includes green and black.
My favorite source of MUFAs is dark or semi sweet chocolate. Remember that is not milk or white chocolate only dark/semi sweet. I try to buy 60% or 70% cocoa content for the higher the cocoa level the better it is for you however I noticed above 60% tends to become really bitter. You also need to remember portion control when eating your chocolate. One serving is 1/4 cup of chips, chunks, or shavings. You can eat is as a snack or in your coffee, in yogurt, your favorite recipes, or even in fruit salad.
I enjoyed researching this healthy fat and hope you enjoyed reading about the healthy fat known as monounsaturated and the foods that offer its fat burning benefits. You may already be eating some of the foods I discussed and now you can feel even better when snacking on these healthy foods or adding them in your recipes. Watch future postings for information on the other healthy fat known as polyunsaturated.
Mayo Clinic, (2012). Nutrition and healthy eating. Dietary fats: Know which types to choose.
No comments:
Post a Comment