Get Your Fill of Healthy Fats

Last week you learned all about fat, why you need it, how many servings you should have and what foods are rich in the healthier kind of fat in The Facts on Fats. This week, we're going to help you add even more good fats into your diet with these tasty ideas.

(Remember, even healthy fats are high in calories, so stick to one or two servings per meal.)

Avocado - Top your sandwich with about 4 slices or add 1/3 cup diced avocado to your salad. (2 servings)

Canola or peanut oil - Pour 1 or 2 teaspoons in a hot skillet to cook fish. (Each teaspoon is a serving.)

Ground flaxseed - Sprinkle 1 tablespoon into your cereal or low-fat or nonfat yogurt (1 fat serving)

Nuts - Enjoy 2 tablespoons of nuts along with 2 to 3 tablespoons of dried fruit as a snack or chop up 1 tablespoon of nuts and mix into low-fat or nonfat yogurt. (Each tablespoon is a serving.)

Olive oil - Add 1 teaspoon or 2 to your salad, or use it to sauté veggies for a stir fry. (Each teaspoon is a serving.)

Olives - Chop and add to your salad or have a handful as a snack. (About 10 medium olives are a serving.)

Peanut butter - Spread 1 tablespoon on a whole-grain English muffin or on top of apple slices (2 fat servings). Note: Peanut butter is also high in protein, so you can also use it as a high-protein food, like chicken or beans. (You'll learn more about using peanut butter as a protein source next week)

Tahini - Mix 1 tablespoon of tahini with 2 teaspoons water and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Add 1/4 teaspoon crushed garlic if desired and drizzle on fish, use as a dip with vegetables or as a sauce for falafel. (2 fat servings)

Toasted sesame oil - For an Asian dressing, whisk together 1 to 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar, a dash of reduced-sodium soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon each of sesame oil and canola or olive oil. (2 fat servings)

Walnut oil - Whisk together 2 teaspoons walnut oil, 1 tablespoon orange juice and 1/2 teaspoon sherry vinegar for a refreshing twist on vinaigrette. (2 fat servings)