» Meet 
Fat has become the bad guy. Probably because most of the time, we eat too much of it -- and generally the wrong kind. But studies show that including good fats in your diet (in moderation, of course!) can actually help you lose weight. Hungry Girl's here with the 411...
FIT FATS!
Monounsaturated Fats
Found In: vegetable oils, nuts, avocados
Polyunsaturated Fats, including Omega-3 and Omega-6
Found In: fish, seeds, grains, mayonnaise
Why They're Diet Essentials
It all comes down to properly fueling the body. If it's got everything it needs (and it NEEDS healthy fats!), it will burn off calories more effectively. Fats are also filling, so you're less likely to overeat if you have good fats in your system. Experts say a lack of them in your diet can also trigger depression, which we all know can lead to a pity party with a pizza. So get these good guys into your diet, STAT!
FOOD FINDS WITH JUST ENOUGH FAT!
1. Sunkist Almond Accents, Various Flavors
PER SERVING (1 tbsp.): 40 calories, 3 - 3.5g fat, 1 - 2g carbs, 0 - 1g fiber, 1g protein
Give your salad a boost... add crunch to your yogurt... make snack mixes with 'em! Unlike grabbing whole almonds by the handful, snacking on these thinly slivered, flavored treats makes it easy not to overdo it. They're also GREAT for recipes, because a little goes a long way.
2. Justin's Nut Butters in 100-Calorie Squeeze Packs
PER SERVING (One 0.6-oz. packet): 100 calories, 8g fat, 3 - 4g carbs, 1 - 2g fiber, 3 - 4g protein
Most everyone loves peanut butter. The problem is that a giant jar of the stuff makes portion-control nearly impossible. Keep these single-serving packets on hand, and you're guaranteed to keep your fat ration in check. And good news... packets of Justin's delicious Maple Almond Butter are now sold at Starbucks. Woohoo!
3. Starkist Mango Chipotle Salmon Creations
PER SERVING (2 oz., half a pouch): 60 calories, 1g fat, 2g carbs, 0g fiber, 10g protein
Salmon is a great source of Omega-3s. And Starkist's new creation is a double whammy -- it's convenient and portion-controlled! We recommend eating the whole pouch for a small dose of healthy fats and tons of filling protein. Toss it in a salad or wrap it up in a high-fiber tortilla. Lunchtime!
4. Kraft Reduced Fat Mayonnaise with Olive Oil
PER SERVING (1 tbsp.): 45 calories, 4g fat, 2g carbs, 0g fiber, 0g protein
For those of you who NEED mayo, Kraft has just the thing for you. This stuff delivers creamy taste with the health benefits of olive oil. And it has HALF the fat of regular mayo, so it won't weigh you down.
5. Berry Almond Luna Bars
PER SERVING (1 bar): 180 calories, 4g fat, 27g carbs, 3g fiber, 9g protein
Heads up, Luna fans (and fans of things that taste good in general)! The latest Luna flavor is packed with just the right amount of good-for-you fats. In this case, they come from almonds and sunflower seed oil. An added bonus? Lots of antioxidants!
GOOD FATS, GOOD RECIPES!
6. Holy Moly Guacamole - Avocados are chock-FULL of the good fats, but too much of a good thing can become, well, a bad thing. So...EAT THIS!
7. Slammin Smoked Salmon 'n' Bacon B-Fast Sandwich - Not only does this get you the Omegas you need, it's also REALLY delicious.
8. Snack-tastic Holiday Mix - Give the gift of good fats by setting this mix out at your next shindig. What a hostess!
9. Crazy-Good Cold Sesame Noodles - Peanut buttery cold pasta rocks. But the average order has too, TOO much fat. Ours has just enough!
For more slimming eats, check these out.
Hungry for More?
Check out Hungry Girl: Recipes and Survival Strategies for Guilt-Free Eating in the Real World. The book's a New York Times Best Seller, and it's packed with 165 super-easy and delicious recipes, survival guides for eating out, and so much more!
For a daily dose of guilt-free tips, tricks, food finds, recipes and more, visit hungry-girl.com and sign up for free daily emails!
53 Comments
LEAVE YOUR COMMENT
You must sign in to leave a comment