8 Healthy Fats I Can’t Live Without

By now you have probably heard the good news: fats aren’t bad.

Fats were vilified for a long time and too much of anything can be unhealthy, but the attitude towards this macronutrient has changed dramatically. More research indicates that dietary fat is required for adequate brain health, hormone levels (particularly testosterone), and a variety of other functions.

There are many books and articles I will periodically link, but this primer on fats and healthy sources can give you a better overall understanding.

Fats as an Energy Source

Fats are the most efficient energy source of all the macronutrients. Yielding approximately 9 kcal per gram, they’re over twice as calorie dense as carbohydrates (4 kcal per gram) and almost three times as dense as protein (due to energy expenditure to break it down).

Each individual may be different, but many scholars consider fats the most important macronutrient for any diet. Neuroscientist and author, David Perlmutter, described diets nearly 55% fats in his famous book “Grain Brain”.

Taking fat in the morning can also be an efficient tool for intermittent fasters who don’t want to break the fast. In a fasted state, your body is naturally breaking down fat molecules for usage and utilizing specific fat sources can help you to stay in the fasted state longer.

In my experience, putting a small amount of coconut oil in a cup of coffee can do wonders for my mental capacity. Without a heavy meal (even if it is predominantly protein), my mental capacity is far better and more focused.

Fat Classifications

Within fats, there are several classifications that are related to the molecular structure. This is a contentious subject and mainstream views have not come nearly as far as I would like.

Saturated fat

Often considered the most evil of fats, saturated in a molecular sense means that all atoms are bonded. You can find saturated fat in meats, coconut milk / oil, and a variety of other foods. Unfortunately, saturated fat has gotten a bad reputation after the Seven Countries Study where Ancel Keys noted a correlation between saturated fats and heart disease. The data became conventional wisdom, but unfortunately it left out numerous tribes like the Tokelau, Masai, and Inuit who eat healthy fats as a large percentage of their diet. For a full write-up on saturated fat, I suggest Mark Sisson’s comprehensive post.

Monounsaturated fat

This type has one open bond and consists of fats like palmitoleic acid and oleic acid. Once again, these healthy fats are found in red meat, nuts, olives, and particularly olive oil. Even though saturated fats might be healthier than most people think, it is important to get a variety of different fats. There are plenty of healthy fats with monounsaturated options. Due to the open bonds, monounsaturated fats are vulnerable to rancidity / oxidation. From a health perspective, there is evidence to suggest monounsaturated fats can reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol and increase HDL (good).

Polyunsaturated fat

The most common polyunsaturated options are the omega-3 fatty acids that have been touted as health foods for many years. Specifically, fish fats like DHA and EPA are useful for health purposes. They can improve cognitive abilities and assist in proper cell function.

Trans fats

If saturated fats are one of the healthiest options, trans are the worst. Numerous studies show that trans fats are related to heart disease. Considering it is chemically derived by artificial human processing, it is no wonder fried foods and others are causing severe health problems in the world. Partially hydrogenated oils can indicate some trans fat content. In general, it is best to just avoid fat sources that have been significantly tampered by humans.

My Healthy Fats List

Here are a few of my favorite fats.

Coconut oil

This is an all-time favorite. It is full of healthy saturated fats, it tastes delicious, and it is quite easy to use in cooking. A little bit of coconut oil goes a long way and it can often make food taste great on its own. It is the only cooking fat source that I can enjoy with food alone. All others require some type of seasoning or spices. Coconut has medium chain triglycerides (MCT), which is very useful for brain function. I don’t buy straight MCT oil, but it can be helpful for some people.

Coconut milk

For the same reason I enjoy coconut oil, the milk is delicious as well. It is like a thick / rich cream and it generally comes in a can. I like to eat mine refrigerated / cold, but I will often melt it into oatmeal or just put it in a bowl with berries. It has a delicate flavor, which tastes quite sweet even though there is little sugar in the milk. Compared to regular dairy produced milk, coconut is a lot less sugar.

Salmon

To eat enough omega-3s in a naturally available food source, salmon is my go-to option. In season, you can get wild caught salmon for around $13 – 17 per pound. Even out of salmon season you can get fresh caught fish that is frozen until you are ready to eat. Try to get 2 – 3 servings of fish per week. On the days that I do not eat salmon (or another fish), I try to use Life Extension Super Omega-3 EPA/DHA. A single pill has 350mg EPA and 250mg DHA, which is quite good compared to most brands. There is 300mg of polyphen-oil and 10mg of seasame seed lignan extract, but I need to do more research to see how these effect the omega-3s.

Grass fed meat

Another source of saturated and monounsaturated fat is grass fed meat. I stress the grass fed in order to promote a healthier ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids. If the meat is fed grass they will be far healthier than other feed, which fattens them up (with a different ratios of fat). I prefer bison as a leaner grass fed option. Typically I cook all my meat with a slight Indian / curry style and some coconut oil. The Nick’s Sticks bars are quite tasty and are an easy source of grass fed protein in a pinch.

Almond butter

For someone interested in increasing muscle mass, almond butter is a godsend. It is high in fat and protein, it tastes delicious, and it is not as expensive as some of the other nut butters. It is a perfect replacement for peanut butter (which is a legume) if you are attempting to cut them from your diet. Be careful of eating too much, however; the excessive magnesium can leave your intestines unhappy.

Nuts

Almost any nut has some healthy aspect or component to it. Walnuts are a favorite due to their high omega-3 content. Almonds are cheaper and obviously ubiquitous, but try to find a variety every once in a while. Macadamia, hazelnuts, and a variety of others will offer different nutrients and fat ratios.

Dark chocolate

If you are eating dark chocolate that is 70% or higher (ideally 85% +), you will get a lot of saturated fats. In addition, there are plenty of cocoa flavanols and compounds that can improve brain function and general health. The most important thing is that dark chocolate simply tastes delicious! I prefer 88% dark chocolate from Endangered Species.

Olives and oil

As mentioned previously, due to the high monounsaturated fat content of olives and olive oil, they are a main staple. I eat the olives with salads and put the olive oil on just about anything. Sometimes I even combine the coconut and olive oil in a dish to get a healthy ratio of every type of fat. The cost of good quality olive oil isn’t high either.