You already know that foods rich in saturated fats are about as good for your arteries as pouring superglue in them. But not all fats deserve a bad rap.Foods with healthy fats are not only good for your heart, but they also make the best go-to snacks for controlling hunger and promoting weight loss, according to chief medical consultant for “The Dr. Oz Show” and co-founder of YouBeauty, Mike Roizen, M.D. This includes the healthy fats found in safflower, coconut, cod liver, olive and canola oils, as well as omega-3 DHA, walnuts, macadamia nuts and chia seeds. In short, these oils and the foods that contain them can promote weight loss and waist loss.After reviewing findings with the Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Roizen says that your best bet is to have these oils before a meal. “My best estimate and that of the Cleveland Clinic committee were that two tablespoons of these oils first thing in the morning and at the start of every meal works,” he says. “All data look similar for weight and waist loss and appetite control using oils and non-cooked foods with these oils in this way, whether safflower, coconut, walnut, fish, olive or macadamia oil.”See the slimming snacks you should be snacking on.
Dr. Roizen also recommends using these oils in specific ways. For example, he advises opting for virgin, cold pressed oils and not cooking or heating them. Secondly, he suggests consuming 70 to 140 calories of these fatty foods 25 minutes before a meal to help control appetite. That translates to drizzling one to two teaspoons of a healthy oil on your food or popping 12 walnut halves or eight macadamia nuts.When taken this way, Dr. Roizen notes there is “strong scientific evidence” that these oils and foods decrease appetite while promoting weight loss. “A little fat—70 to 140 calories worth—before a meal stimulates the release of the hormone cholycystokinin (and other effects) from your early intestinal wall, stimulating your vagus nerve to decrease stomach emptying—so your stomach stays more full so you feel full,” he says, “and telling the satiety center in your brain that you are no longer hungry.Along with helping you drop extra pounds and those stubborn inches around the belly, these healthy oils can lower your risk for cancer, improve long-term memory, decrease inflammation and reduce cholesterol levels and blood pressure. What’s more, these good-for-you fats can also make your skin look fantastic by reducing acne, dry skin and premature wrinkles. (Can somebody grab us some walnuts, please?)The bottom line: Losing weight and feeling great doesn’t have to mean ditching all fats from your diet. So quit depriving yourself and start munching on these eight snacks that contain healthy fats. MORE: Your Complete Guide to Shrinking Belly Fat
