Healthy Sources of Fats for Your Cross Training Diet

Any effective training must be accompanied by the right mix of nutrition. Much like the unpredictability of CrossFit WODs, diet also varies from one person to another. When you mention fats, people mistake them for unhealthy components which should, by all means, be withdrawn from the diet.

The kind of fats which should be avoided at all costs are the trans fats. This type of fats comes in two categories: artificial and naturally occurring trans fats. Artificial trans fats are added to make food taste better. They are tempting but should be replaced with healthier meals. In the body, trans fats raise your cholesterol level which in turn enhances the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.

Trans fats are commonly found in foods such as pie crusts, frozen pizza, crackers, cookies, stick margarine, cakes, droughts and others.

The healthiest fats are monosaturated fats and omega 3 fatty acids. The former lower the bad cholesterol while the latter help in fighting inflammation, blood clotting, and high blood pressure. Healthy fats are important for cell growth and brain function.

The following are some of the best sources of healthy fats.

Tuna, Salmon, and other Fish

Tuna and Salmon are known for their omega 3 fatty acids and healthy fats. They help in boosting cardiac health. The recommended intake is approximately 12 ounces a week. This is approximately 2 meals. The reason why the quantity is limited is, the increased intake may expose you to such substances like mercury which are often found in small amounts in seafood.

Avocado

A medium-sized avocado contains about 23gms of monosaturated fats. Also, it gives you about 40% of your daily fiber needs. Naturally, the avocado is cholesterol and sodium free and contains lutein which is an oxidant that protects your vision. Taking a half avocado at one time is recommended because of the high amounts of calories.

Canola Oil and Olive Oil

Olive oil contains polyphenols which help in fighting cancer. It also contains monosaturated fats such as oleic acid which plays a key role in strengthening the heart. Increasing the amounts of olive oil in your CrossFit diet boosts the level of serotonin in your blood, a hormone associated with satiety.

On the other hand, canola oil has a healthy 2.5:1 ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acids. This dietary ratio enables you to battle arthritis, cancer, and asthma more effectively.

Nuts

Getting a quarter cup of cashews, pecans, almonds, or pistachios gives you a good loading of healthy fats. Pistachios have carotenoids, zeaxanthin, and lutein which are important for eye health. Macadamia and cashews contain much fat, and therefore you should watch your serving.

Eggs

Eggs are famous for their role in lowering bad cholesterol levels. They also contain choline, a macronutrient that attacks the gene mechanism responsible for triggering the body system to store fat around the liver.

Other foods containing healthy fats to include in your CrossFit nutrition are Greek yogurt, cheese, coconut butter, chia seeds, nut butter, and dark chocolate.