This includes fish like salmon , trout, anchovies, mackerel, sardines , and herring. These fish are loaded with heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, high quality proteins , and a variety of vitamins and minerals.

Research shows that regular fatty fish consumption may enhance cognitive function , help regulate blood sugar levels , and decrease heart disease risk.

Cod fish liver oil is best. It contains all the omega-3s that you need, as well as plenty of vitamin D.

Nuts are incredibly healthy. They are high in healthy fats and fiber and are a good plant-based source of protein. Studies show that people who eat nuts tend to have a lower rate of obesity and a lower risk of heart disease.

Healthy nuts include almonds , walnuts, macadamia nuts, and numerous others. Additionally, almost all the carbs in chia seeds are fiber — so the vast majority of calories in them actually come from fat. The majority of the fats in chia seeds consist of the heart-healthy, essential omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid ALA.

Chia seeds may also have numerous health benefits, such as lowering blood pressure and having anti-inflammatory effects. They are also incredibly nutritious. In addition to being loaded with fiber and omega-3s, chia seeds are also packed with nutrients. Another fatty food that almost everyone agrees is healthy is extra virgin olive oil.

This fat is an essential component of the Mediterranean diet , which has been shown to have numerous health benefits regarding heart health, blood sugar management , and weight management. Full-fat yogurt can be nutrient rich. It has all the same important nutrients as other high-fat dairy products.

Studies show that yogurt may improve digestive health and may even help with weight management and reducing heart disease risk. Additionally, research suggests that full-fat dairy has no negative health effects compared with fat-free or reduced-fat dairy.

Although high-fat foods were once thought to be low in nutrients, research now shows that some fats do not pose the negative concerns for heart health that it once thought to. Additionally, naturally, high-fat foods may offer similar health benefits to their low fat counterparts while being less processed.

Although they are higher in calories, the high fat foods on this list can easily be part of a nutrient-dense, whole—food—based diet. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

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Nutrition Evidence Based 9 High-Fat Foods That Offer Great Health Benefits. Medically reviewed by Marie Lorraine Johnson MS, RD, CPT — By Kris Gunnars, BSc and SaVanna Shoemaker, MS, RDN, LD — Updated on June 26, Avocados Cheese Dark chocolate Whole eggs Fatty fish Nuts Chia seeds Extra virgin olive oil Full-fat yogurt Summary Certain high fat foods, including dairy products, eggs, and plants like avocados, pack important nutrients that can benefit your health.

Share on Pinterest Stocksy. Dark chocolate. Whole eggs. Siri-Tarino, P. Curr Atheroscler Rep, Hu, F. Am J Clin Nutr, Jakobsen, M. N Engl J Med, Ascherio, A. BMJ, Manson, and W. Willett, Types of dietary fat and risk of coronary heart disease: a critical review. J Am Coll Nutr, The contents of this website are for educational purposes and are not intended to offer personal medical advice.

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Get some tips for curbing cravings of less nutritious foods. Calories are a measure of energy that foods supply. The number of calories you need will depend on your sex, age, and activity level. A balanced diet supplies the nutrients your body needs to work effectively.

Without balanced nutrition, your body is more prone to disease, infection, fatigue, and low performance. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest , 4 of the top 10 leading causes of death in the United States are directly linked to diet.

Learn more about healthy meal plans for kids. Your body needs nutrients to stay healthy, and food supplies essential nutrients that stop us from getting sick.

People who follow a vegan diet will focus entirely on plant-based foods. Tofu and beans, for example, are plant-based sources of protein. Some people are intolerant of dairy but can still build a balanced diet by choosing a variety of nutrient-rich replacements. Learn about 50 super healthy foods.

Fruits are high in sugar , but this sugar is natural. Unlike candies and many sweet desserts, fruits also provide fiber and other nutrients. If you have diabetes, your doctor or dietitian can advise you on which fruits to choose , how much to eat, and when.

Learn about 11 low-sugar fruits. Vegetables are a key source of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Eat a variety of vegetables with different colors for a full range of nutrients. Dark, leafy greens are an excellent source of many nutrients. They include:. Local, seasonal vegetables are often reasonable in price and easy to prepare.

Use them in the following ways:. Refined white flour is featured in many breads and baked goods, but it has limited nutritional value. Whole grain products include the entire grain, including the hull and germ. They provide additional vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Many people also find that whole grains add flavor and texture to a dish. Meats and beans are primary sources of protein, which is essential for wound healing and muscle maintenance and development, among other functions. Processed meats may increase the risk of cancer and other diseases, according to some research.

Some processed meats also contain a lot of added preservatives and salt. Fresh, unprocessed meat is the best option. Tofu , tempeh , and other soy-based products are excellent sources of protein and are good alternatives to meat.

Dairy products provide essential nutrients, including:. They also contain fat. Your doctor can help you decide. For those following a vegan diet, many dairy-free milks and other dairy alternatives are now available, made from:.

As with dietary fat, there are good and bad types of cholesterol. Rather than the amount of cholesterol you eat, the biggest influence on your cholesterol levels is the type of fats you consume.

So instead of counting cholesterol, it's important to focus on replacing bad fats with good fats. BetterHelp is an online therapy service that matches you to licensed, accredited therapists who can help with depression, anxiety, relationships, and more.

Take the assessment and get matched with a therapist in as little as 48 hours. These fats can help to:. Adding more of these healthy fats to your diet may also help to make you feel more satisfied after a meal, reducing hunger and thus promoting weight loss.

Trans fat. Small amounts of naturally occurring trans fats can be found in meat and dairy products but it's artificial trans fats that are considered dangerous. This is the worst type of fat since it not only raises bad LDL cholesterol but also lowers good HDL levels.

Artificial trans fats can also create inflammation, which is linked to heart disease, stroke, and other chronic conditions and contributes to insulin resistance, which increases your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

In the U. However, products made before the FDA ban may still be available for sale. If your country still allows the use of artificial trans fats, remember that no amount is considered safe, so aim to eliminate it from your diet.

Saturated fat. While not as harmful as trans fat, saturated fat can raise bad LDL cholesterol and too much can negatively impact heart health, so it's best consumed in moderation.

For decades, doctors, nutritionists, and health authorities have told us that a diet high in saturated fats raises blood cholesterol and increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.

However, recent studies have made headlines by casting doubt on those claims, concluding that people who eat lots of saturated fat do not experience more cardiovascular disease than those who eat less.

What these studies highlight is that when cutting down on saturated fats in your diet, it's important to replace them with the right foods.

For example, swapping animal fats for vegetable oils—such as replacing butter with olive oil—can help lower your cholesterol and reduce your risk for disease. However, swapping animal fats for refined carbohydrates—such as replacing your breakfast bacon with a bagel or pastry—won't have the same benefits.

That's because eating refined carbohydrates or sugary foods can have a similar negative effect on your cholesterol levels, your risk for heart disease, and your weight.

Limiting your intake of saturated fat can still help improve your health—as long as you take care to replace it with good fat rather than refined carbs.

In other words, don't go no fat, go good fat. Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat and are especially beneficial to your health. There are different types of omega-3s: EPA and DHA are found in fish and algae and have the most health benefits, while ALA comes from plants and is a less potent form of omega-3, although the body does convert ALA to EPA and DHA at low rates.

The American Heart Association recommends that people with documented heart disease get about 1 gram of EPA plus DHA per day.

For the rest of us, the AHA recommends eating at least two 3. Despite the health benefits, nearly all seafood contains traces of pollutants, including the toxic metal mercury.

The concentration of pollutants increases in larger fish, so avoid eating shark, swordfish, tilefish, and king mackerel. Most adults can safely eat 12 oz. two 6 oz. or g servings of cooked seafood a week. For women who are pregnant, nursing mothers, and children under 12, choose fish lower in mercury, such as shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, Pollock, or catfish.

You can also protect yourself by varying the types of fish that you include in your diet. While omega-3s are best obtained through food, there are many omega-3 and fish oil supplements available.

Fish oil contains no mercury mercury binds to protein, not fat and very low amounts of other contaminants. For some, fish oil capsules can be hard to swallow and may leave a fishy aftertaste. Keeping the capsules in the freezer before taking them can help or you can look for odorless or deodorized capsules.

Vegetable oils lower LDL bad cholesterol and triglycerides, and raise HDL good cholesterol. Oils such as corn, sunflower, safflower, and soybean contain omega-6, a type of polyunsaturated fat that may help to reduce insulin resistance and inflammation. The food industry likes to tout the benefits of tropical oils such as palm and coconut oil, while dietary guidelines shun them for being too high in saturated fat.

So, who is right? Tropical oils can have aa complex effect on blood cholesterol levels. Instead of obsessively counting fat grams, aim for a diet rich in a variety of vegetables, fruit, nuts, and beans, with two or more weekly servings of fatty fish, moderate amounts of dairy, small amounts of red meat, and only occasional fried or processed meals.

This might mean replacing fried chicken with grilled chicken, swapping out some of the red meat you eat with other sources of protein such as fish, chicken, or beans, or using olive oil rather than butter.

Following a Mediterranean diet can also help ensure you're getting enough good fats in your diet and limiting the bad ones. Limit your intake of saturated fats by replacing some of the red meat you eat with beans, nuts, poultry, and fish, and switching from whole milk dairy to lower fat versions.

But don't make the mistake of replacing saturated fat with refined carbohydrates and sugary foods. For example, some peanut butters can contain more than kcal per g , while almond butters can contain more than kcal per g.

This equates to roughly kcal per 2 tbsp serving of peanut butter, and kcal per 2 tbsp serving of almond butter. Learn more about the differences between popular nut butters here. A staple of the Mediterranean diet , olives provide around Research reports that a compound in olives called oleuropein may help prevent diabetes.

Researchers found that oleuropein helped the body secrete more insulin while also preventing the cytotoxic actions of a molecule called amylin amyloid that contributes to diabetes development. Learn more about the nutritional content of olives here.

Olive oil is full of monounsaturated fats that are good for heart health. It also contains vitamin E, vitamin K, and potent antioxidants.

On average, 1 tbsp of olive oil contains kcal and 14 g of fat. Research suggests olive oil consumption and replacing margarine, butter, mayonnaise, and dairy fat with an equivalent amount of olive oil is associated with a lower risk of heart disease and total cardiovascular disease.

Learn more about the health benefits of olive oil here. Tofu is a complete plant protein and a good source of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. A g serving of firm tofu provides just over 4 g of fat. Learn more about tofu here.

Full-fat natural yogurt contains good probiotic bacteria to support gut function. However, there is debate about the benefits of full fat yogurt in comparison to low fat options.

Significant research suggests that full fat dairy products can play an important role in healthful diets, while the United States Department of Agriculture USDA recommends prioritizing low fat dairy products. Learn everything you need to know about yogurt here. Monounsaturated fatty acids MUFAs and polyunsaturated fatty acids PUFAs are healthful fats that can:.

MUFAs and PUFAs also fight inflammation. The two most well-known PUFAs are omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

These are essential fats that people must get from the food they eat because the body cannot make them. By contrast, people often consider saturated fats and trans fats unhealthful fats. Foods rich in these substances, such as butter and lard, are often solid at room temperature.

Artificial trans fats, which often appear on labels as partially hydrogenated oils, are also unhealthful. They trigger inflammation that may increase the risk of:. Fat is one of the three essential macronutrients the body needs, along with carbohydrates and protein.

A balanced diet should include healthful monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Some of the best sources of these fatty acids include avocados, olive oil, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish.

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