Healthy vegetable fats include oils like olive oil, seeds like sesame seeds, and nuts like almonds. What are their benefits? How do we eat it in a healthy way?

We'll start with the oils, the undisputed star of which is olive oil. The German Dietetic Association confirms that it is of great importance to health, as it protects against heart disease, helps to lose weight and solve digestion problems.

The association pointed out that olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids that reduce cholesterol. It is also rich in "olerobin", which has an antioxidant effect, and thus protects against heart attacks.

For clarity, trans fats are healthier and should be consumed as much as possible as they are beneficial for lowering harmful cholesterol levels.

the heart

It also avoids the risks of cardiovascular diseases, and this type of fat is divided into two parts: monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats according to their chemical composition.

As for saturated fats, it increases the risk of heart, arterial and brain diseases such as heart attacks and strokes. This type of fat is found in animal products, such as red meat and milk products such as cheese, along with whole milk, dark chocolate, butter, fish and egg yolks, and some vegetable oils such as palm oil and coconut are rich in saturated fats.

The German Society says that thanks to the olive oil containing a high content of phenols and unsaturated fatty acids, olive oil stimulates the process of burning fats, thereby losing weight and enjoying agility.

In addition, olive oil is a natural lubricant that helps transport food through the large intestine, which helps stimulate digestion.

Studies indicate that consuming olive oil may play a role in preventing colon and breast cancer. It may also play a role in reducing the risk of coronary heart disease through its ability to reduce blood pressure and bad cholesterol (LDL).

Although most research has been done on oil, consuming olives as a fruit may give health benefits as well.

canola oil

It is extracted from rapeseed and contains a good amount of monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. Canola oil contains the least amount of saturated fat compared to all vegetable oils.

Avocado oil

Contains unsaturated fatty acids, as well as vitamin E.

sunflower oil

And it contains a high percentage of vitamin E, as one tablespoon contains 28% of the daily recommended amount for a person. It also contains many omega-6 fatty acids, and although the body needs them, it is believed that many omega-6s may induce inflammation, while omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory. Therefore, consuming many omega-6 acids without balance with omega-3 can lead to excessive inflammation in the body, so moderate consumption should be moderate.

Coconut Oil

Although it is very popular these days, it is one of the worst fats ever for health, as its formula contains 90% of saturated fat, which is higher than butter (about 64% saturated fat) and beef fat (40%).

And the high consumption of saturated fats in the diet is unhealthy because it raises harmful cholesterol levels, which increases the risk of heart disease.

If you want to eat coconut oil, you should reduce it to a minimum, and it is best to consult a doctor or dietitian, especially if you have problems with high cholesterol, fat in the blood or heart disease.

There are other types of vegetable oil, but in general it is recommended to use olive oil, with the need to use a small amount of it, and this applies to all vegetable oils because they are rich in calories, as a tablespoon of oil contains 120 calories.

Nuts and seeds

It contains a high percentage of fat, and is often unsaturated and healthy, that would actually help lower blood cholesterol and fight heart disease, according to the Health and Human Research website.

Among the benefits of eating nuts and seeds:

Weight loss

This is according to many studies that have concluded that eating nuts and seeds can help lose weight, but in very limited quantities and in conjunction with an integrated diet and exercise.

In other words, since nuts are very rich in fat, and despite being unsaturated fat, they contain a high percentage of calories that would contribute to weight gain. And if you plan to add nuts or seeds to your weight loss diet, it is important to reduce the number of calories you eat in general.

Lowering blood pressure

Eating raw and unsalted nuts and seeds can help lower blood pressure, according to the Health & Human Research website.

The problem is that most nuts and seeds are generally salted to improve their taste. Moreover, many people tend to eat high amounts of salt which generally works with potassium to regulate the fluid balance in our bodies, but when this vital balance is disturbed, it leads to high blood pressure.

He advised the site to eat unsalted items. A great strategy is to add herbal flavor to seeds or nuts similar to hot pepper powder to give it a sodium-free flavor.

On the other hand, excessive eating of nuts and seeds may lead to problems, such as weight gain, diarrhea and bloating.

The site said that the complicated part related to seeds and nuts is that they are healthy if you eat them in an appropriate amount, and harmful if you do otherwise.

Therefore it is advised to eat small amounts of seeds and nuts, and instead of eating them directly from the bags, it is better to place the specified quantities in small packages.

In some cases, you will not feel full just by eating the limited amounts of nuts and seeds. Therefore, if you need to eat more food, it is best to resort to fruits or vegetables that contain a large amount of water and fiber that will make you feel full better.