Whole Unprocessed Fatty Foods that are Healthy
1. Avocado
This fruit is packed full of nutrients, including omega-9 fats (oleic acid) that support healthy skin and hormone balance. Rich in B-5, fiber, vitamin K, copper, folate, B-6, and vitamin E, these little gems back a ton of nutrients.
Use a few tablespoons in smoothies in place of banana, as a spread, instead of mayonnaise, or just eat straight with a little sea salt!
Try some or all of these 24 Delicious Creamy Avocado Recipes!
2. Dark Chocolate
A serving of chocolate provides the body with 200 mg of flavanols, antioxidants that have been shown to improve blood flow and promote heart health.
A couple of ways to hit 200 mg: 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder or 1.75 oz of dark chocolate that’s at least 70% cocoa. Just be sure to buy natural, non-alkalized cocoa powder, as the processing of alkalized cocoa significantly reduces flavanol content. (7)
3. Grass-fed Butter
When animals that eat grass are fed only grass, their fat profile looks completely different than animals that are supplemented with grains, such as corn and soy. The omega-3 profile of a grass-fed piece of meat is higher than its grain fed counterpart, and the calorie count is lower!
Besides, these foods are rich in other healthy fats and fat-soluble vitamins. Grass-fed butter has up to four times more omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) than its grain fed counterpart, and 66 percent less omega-6 linoleic acid, which tends to be more inflammatory.
Grass-fed butter also contains higher levels of vitamin K2. This essential vitamin protects the arteries from calcium deposit, helping the body move calcium from the arteries into the bones where it belongs. Most Americans are deficient in this crucial vitamin. (8)
4. Grass-fed Full Fat Dairy: Raw Milk, Yogurt, Kefir
A serving of full-fat dairy is comprised of ¼ monounsaturated fat in the form of oleic acid (olive and avocado) and ½ saturated fat with both medium and short chain fatty acids.
The medium chain fatty acids are akin to the healthy fats in coconut oil and the short chain fatty acids provide your colon cells with food, as well as act as a prebiotic for the good bacteria in your gut. This food is also rich in vitamin D and Potassium.
Whole milk is the least processed milk containing all the nutrients in the exact ratio nature intended. Remember, not everyone can tolerate dairy- it is one of the most common allergens.
Just because this is great for some people, doesn’t mean it will be great for you. If dairy is a food sensitivity for you, then skip this one for other healthy fatty foods.
5. Pasture Raised Meats
Red meat has gotten a bad rap because the saturated fat content is high. Given that more evidence is coming out that the way you raise an animal significantly impacts the health of the meat and that “saturated fat” in general may not be as bad as once through, may give you a reason to eat some healthy pastured grass fed meat.
Cows that eat grass in a pasture are going to be much healthier than cows fed grain and/or kept indoors, mainly for the reasons mentioned above in both the butter and dairy section. (9)
6. Pasture Raised Egg Yolks
Forget egg white omelets and go for the whole egg! Egg yolks have omega-3 in them, and eggs that are pasture raised often have the most, but be sure to read the label. Yolks are an incredible source of vitamin A, choline, other B-vitamins, and selenium.
Egg yolks from pastured chickens contain higher levels of vitamin D and carotenoids—antioxidants that give those yolks their deep orange color and provide you with many benefits from eyes to immune system support. (10)
7. Nuts and Seeds
Seeds and nuts have a lot of health benefits. They contain fiber, protein, B-vitamins, antioxidants, omega-3, vitamin E. Seeds contain lignans, a polyphenol, which has weak hormonal action and has been shown to be protective for breast cancer and lower your risk of heart disease.
Almonds are great at balancing cholesterol and walnuts, in particular, have been shown to play a potential role in preventing Alzheimer’s, boosting memory, and reducing depression.
Both are great at normalizing the stools, balancing cholesterol and helping regulate hormones from the healthy omega-6 (GLA) fats. (11, 12)
Nuts and seeds are sometimes considered controversial because they contain phytate/phytic acid. Phytic acid is considered an “anti-nutrient,” which can bind minerals and prevent them from being absorbed (calcium, magnesium, zinc, etc. ).
However, phytic acid also has health benefits being an antioxidant, protecting against kidney stones and cancer. In a balanced diet, foods with phytic acid will rarely cause concern. If you predominantly eat foods with phytic acid, then there may be more chances for issues with mineral imbalances.
If you are concerned about the level of phytic acid you may be getting, because you consume a lot of grains, beans, tubers, seeds and nuts, there are a few ways you can prepare foods to reduce it. Soaking, sproutin, and fermentation will reduce the phytic acid level in these foods.
Combining any of these methods of preparation, say soaking and fermenting, will enhance phytic acid reduction even more. Sometimes it isn’t the food that is to blame, but the way you consume it! (13)
8. Coconut
Coconut has gotten lots of good press recently and why shouldn’t it with all the health benefits it has. It is a saturated fat that can be used for more high heat cooking which is great because more fragile oils like olive and vegetable based oils are more prone to oxidation when heated.
Coconut has medium-chain triglycerides, which we know are antimicrobial and protects our digestive tract from harmful bacteria overgrowth, as well as provide the body with energy.
Medium-chain triglycerides are perfect fatty acids because they aren’t broken down and rebuilt like some of the long chain fatty acids which can cause health issues. (14, 15)
9. Parmesan Cheese
Specific cheeses can be quite healthy for you if you tolerate dairy well. Parmesan cheese, for instance, is very high in calcium, a mineral that all of us need to keep our bones strong and our muscles healthy. Grass-fed sources of cheese are rich in omega-3 and CLA, similar to other grass-fed dairies. (16)
Many people who cannot tolerate dairy products like milk or soft cheeses find that hard cheeses such as parmesan and cheddar are better tolerated because they are fermented with beneficial organisms.
Be sure to get all dairy, free of hormones and antibiotics. You don’t need that stuff in your body!