Good Fats Recipes

Make sure you have olive oil, avocados and avocado oil, salmon and other fatty fish, plus nuts and seeds as part of your store cupboard staples.

Kirsten Nunez is a writer who focuses on food, health, and DIY. She has been writing professionally for nearly 10 years and has contributed to digital and print publications such as Martha Stewart, Shape, Real Simple, Healthline, and SELF. She also creates original recipes, which have appeared on product packaging in stores.

Despite their poor reputation, fats are incredibly healthy for the body. In fact, fat is an essential nutrient, meaning our bodies need it to function—fats provide energy, protect our organs, and support the absorption nutrients, and that's really just scratching the surface. Still, it's worth noting that not all fats are created equal; some promote a healthy heart and body, while others have the opposite effect. Read on to learn all about good fats, plus how to use them for dinner, one of the most important meals of the day.

Seven Foods With Healthy Fats

First, a quick chemistry lesson: Fat molecules are made of carbon atoms, which are linked to form a chain. Depending on the structure of this chain, the fat will be classified as saturated or unsaturated. A saturated fat consists of a straight chain of carbon atoms, while an unsaturated fat is made of a curved chain. What's more, in the body, saturated and unsaturated fats have very different effects. According to the American Heart Association, saturated fats can raise LDL (bad) blood cholesterol levels, potentially increasing the risk for heart disease. In contrast, unsaturated fats can actually reduce LDL blood cholesterol. They can also decrease inflammation—a major contributor of chronic disease—according to Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

All of this to say is that healthy fats are those that are unsaturated. When eaten in place of saturated fat, these good fats can decrease the risk of heart disease and inflammation. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, many foods contain both types of fat, but some are higher in the unsaturated kind. This includes foods like olive oil, avocado and avocado oil, nuts, seeds, fatty fish, eggs, chia seeds, [and] flaxseed, says Megan Byrd, R.D., registered dietitian and founder of The Oregan Dietitian.

One of the easiest ways to make dinner with healthy fats is to cook with olive oil. As Byrd suggests, Use it lightly sauté vegetables or proteins, like tempeh or turkey burgers. You can also roast ingredients in canola, sunflower, or avocado oil, which are packed with good fats and ideal for high-heat cooking.

My Big Fat List Of 40 Low Fat Recipes

The aforementioned oils can also be used to make your own salad dressings or sauces for meats and vegetables, explains Byrd. Try a deliciously simple dressing like our cider vinaigrette, which calls for just five pantry ingredients. Or make a sauce with worldly flavors, like our Latin marinade (with olive oil) or Thai-inspired lighter peanut sauce (with peanut butter).

To infuse your menu with more healthy fats, add fish recipes to your rotation. According to the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, fatty fish—like salmon, herring, and lake trout—are excellent sources of unsaturated omega-3 fats. Make our Salmon-Spinach Burgers for a casual meal, or try mackerel with date butter for something more elegant.

Instantly elevate your finished pasta, salad, or rice dish with a handful of nuts or seeds. From slivered almonds to hemp seeds, these ingredients offer the perfect combo of texture and good fat. Or if you have more time to prepare, you can crust fish or chicken with chopped nuts, like pecans or almonds, suggests Byrd.

High Fat Foods That Are Actually Super Healthy

Who says eggs are limited to morning meals? As a source of healthy unsaturated fats, the humble egg can instantly enhance a typical supper. There are many ways to enjoy eggs for dinner, whether it's in the form of a rice bowl with eggs and greens or Roasted Ratatouille and Eggs.

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Who says eggs are limited to morning meals? As a source of healthy unsaturated fats, the humble egg can instantly enhance a typical supper. There are many ways to enjoy eggs for dinner, whether it's in the form of a rice bowl with eggs and greens or Roasted Ratatouille and Eggs.

The Difference Between Olive Oil and Vegetable Oil—and When to Use Each in Your Cooking The Health Benefits of Macadamia Nuts—Plus, the Most Delicious Ways to Enjoy Them 20 Plant-Based Breakfast Ideas That Will Jumpstart Your Mornings 10 Daily Habits of People Who Age Well 10 Anti-Inflammatory Foods You Should Be Eating, According to Registered Dietitians What Are Hydrogenated Fats? Plus, Learn How to Identify and Avoid Them in Foods Millets Are the Sustainable Super Grains We Should All Be Eating 12 Foods That Naturally Help Lower Blood Pressure

20 Anti-Inflammatory Recipes That Will Help You Feel Better 6 Lifestyle Changes You Can Make to Protect Your Body Against Inflammation 7 Delicious Nut Butter Alternatives, According to Registered Dietitians How to Turn a Charcuterie Board Into a Healthy Dinner, According to a Registered Dietitian 8 Foods That Are Good Sources of Vitamin D—and How to Add Them to Your Diet Greek, Labne, and Regular: Consider This Your Comprehensive Guide to Yogurt 20 Mediterranean Recipes You'll Want to Make for Dinner Tonight 20 Recipes That Will Boost Your Gut Health, According to Registered Dietitians

Best Foods And Healthy Fats To Cut Diabetes Risk

When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site.