Over the next five days, I will be listing foods that I avoid and foods that I enjoy. I hope this proves to be useful to you!

To Eat

Good Heart- Healthy Fats

Monounsaturated fats – Olive oil, peanut oil, avocados, nuts and seeds

Polyunsaturated fats – Safflower, corn, sunflower, and cottonseed oils, nuts and seeds

Omega-3 Fatty Acids -Salmon, mackerel, and herring, ground flaxseeds, flax oil and walnuts

BENEFITS…

• They can lower your risk of heart disease
• They may decrease the risk of coronary artery disease and help lower blood pressure levels

Not To Eat

Trans Fat (aka – Hydrogenated oils)- Usually found in processed foods like cookies, crackers, some peanut butters, and fried foods

DANGERS…

• Increases LDL (bad cholesterol), decreases HDL (good cholesterol) which leads to heart attacks and/or strokes
  
• Overactivity of the immune system
• Causes inflammation and damages cells

There is a great Mayo Clinic article on Trans Fat. I think of it like this- Crisco is a trans fat. If you are warned not to wash Crisco down your sink, why would you put it in your body? I avoid this fat at all costs!

Saturated Fat – Fats found in animal products (fatty cuts of meat, full-fat dairy, tropical oils)

DANGERS…

• Increases LDL (bad cholesterol), decreases HDL (good cholesterol) which leads to heart attacks and/or strokes

I eat lean cuts of meat (white meat, loin cuts) and use lower fat dairy products.

BTW- My sister-in-law made the Chicken Verde Enchiladas that I posted Thursday, 2/3. Check out her finished product on her blog.