Written by Health Educator Shelby Gibson

Fat is a normal and essential part of the food we eat every day. However, there are different types of fat that affect our health in different ways. The type of fat found in fried foods is the type that can have a negative impact on our heart health and weight status. Just because fried foods have less nutritional benefits doesn’t mean that we have to give up the great taste to be satisfied. There are several alternatives to frying food that will still give you the same great flavor. Some alternatives to frying food are sautéing, stir-frying, steaming, grilling, roasting, baking, braising and stewing.

So, if fat is an essential part of the food we eat, what types of fat are good for us? Both monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats are known to be good for us. These unsaturated fats are found to increase the good cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein) and help remove the bad cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein) from the body. Most of these unsaturated fats can be found as liquids at room temperature, including olive, canola, peanut, and sesame oil. Not all good fats are liquids though, as they can also be found in avocados, olives, nuts, peanut butter, flaxseed, fatty fish and fish oil, just to name a few. Olive oil and sesame oil are great to have on hand when looking to sauté a meal. Next time you try baking or roasting, consider using coconut oil as a healthier alternative.

You will be pleasantly surprised that you can get some of the same great tastes from these healthy alternatives, while simultaneously reducing your risk of health problems.