One of the first steps to real / effective weight loss, is managing and watching what you eat. With this in mind, you need to understand the different types of food that you ingest, and how they may impact your weight loss efforts. Today we focus on Monounsaturated & Omega-3 Fats.

Monounsaturated & Omega-3 Fats are considered good fats because they move through the bloodstream without clogging it. They also do some cleaning in the process.

Monounsaturated fatty acids are found mostly in certain plants such as olives. Olive oil is the most popular source of monounsaturated fat. Omega-3 fats come from fish oil or canola oil which can be purchased in pill and liquid forms.

The main benefits – they appear to reduce bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol. Olive oil in particular is valued because it replaces the use of butter and margerine. Omega-3 doesn’t allow sticky fats and platelets to accumulate in the blood vessels, and it helps move cholesterol back to the liver for processing.

Word of caution – olive oil and fish oil have the same calorie content as any other fat (9 calories per gram). Olive oil is also 13% saturated fat (the evil fat). Note also, too much Omega-3 fat in the blood can cause the body’s natural blood clotting process to slow a bit. If you’re taking prescription blood thinner or aspirin, be very careful with taking fish oil pills simultaneously (consult your doctor).

Last word on Monounsaturated & Omega-3 Fats – you can get all the Omega three fats that you need by eating 6-8 ounces of fatty fish three times a week. When cooking with olive oil, you should use just enough to lubricate the pan, don’t submerge or immerse your food in the oil.