Social media, the press and TV advertisements are always telling us that we must watch the calories and that there’s too much fat in this, that and the other.
Every day of our lives, we’re surrounded by low-fat offerings. We’re advised to make sure we’re not consuming too much. But Healthy fats are actually really important for our skin! By eating the right type of food, we can all achieve the most beautiful glowing skin.
Knowing the Facts About Fats
It can all get a bit confusing as there are lots of different types of fats. We take a look at the good and the bad.
The Baddies
Saturated fat – which is one of the most common naughty types of fat – comes mainly from animal sources, found in red meat, poultry, and full-fat dairy products. These types of fats can raise cholesterol and cause bad skin complaints such as acne or oily skin.
Trans fat is another type of fat that isn’t great for our bodies. This type of fat is naturally found in certain foods, but most trans fats are made from oils through a food processing method. Fats with a high percentage of saturated or trans-fat include; beef fat, pork fat, butter, shortening and stick margarine.
The Goodies
However, the good news is there are healthy fats which are really good for our bods both inside and out. Monounsaturated fatty acids, Polyunsaturated fatty acids, and Omega-3 fatty acids are all good. They are particularly important for our skin. These good fats can be found in a range of delicious foods such as coconut oil, olive oil, avocado, and nuts.
Your skin cells are surrounded by layers of fat known as the phospholipid bilayer, therefore fat is key for healthy skin. Find important Essential fatty acids like Omega-3 in foods such as fresh fish; salmon, mackerel, sardines as well as walnuts, linseeds, and chia. Yum-yum!
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