Cardio and crunches aren't the only way to slim down your middle. Eating monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), like the kind found in avocado, is proven to diminish belly fat. Here are 12 lunch ideas featuring the belly-fat-fighting powers of the avocado.
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Not all fats are bad for you; in fact, incorporating healthy fats into your diet can actually be good for you! The general rule of thumb is that good fats are liquid at room temperature and bad fats are solid at room temperature. Therefore, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats fall into the good fats category, while saturated and trans fats fall into the bad fats category. Unlike saturated fats, monounsaturated fats help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, while boosting your HDL (good) cholesterol. Dietary fat is also good for us because it is one of three macronutrients that supports a number of our body's functions and provides us with energy.
Now for the fun stuff — the foods with all the healthy fats:
After years of being treated with disdain, dietary fat has slowly been making its way off the nutritional black list. Now that omega-3 fatty acid is almost a household word, it is time to embrace the MUFAs — monounsaturated fatty acids. A diet rich in this type of fat has been found to reduce abdominal fat better than a diet high in carbs — even without exercise. In fact, this is the cornerstone of Prevention's Flat Belly Diet.
If you're dieting, don't fear the MUFAs; while they might not be the magic bullet for belly fat (even if you incorporate them into your diet, you still need to keep a watch on your caloric intake and exercise), they do make dieting easier. Full of fat-soluble vitamins, MUFAs are satisfying to eat and help you feel full and satiated, nipping in the bud two common complaints of dieters: boredom and hunger.
To learn where you can find the almost-mythic fatty acid, keep on reading.
