Principle 16: Go “Good Fat”, Not “Low Fat”

Current nutrition science reverses the mistaken belief that we need to limit all fat. Moderate and even high levels of beneficial fats in the diet—from (most) non-hydrogenated plant oils, nuts, nut butters, avocados, and fish—are associated with optimal nutrition and healthy weight. Beneficial fats paired with an abundance of vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts can give our diets a baseline of slow-metabolizing, healthy foods, which are associated with increased satiety.

A more liberal usage of healthy fats, offering the potential to deliver high-impact flavors, might represent the difference between consumers liking—or not liking—healthier and more environmentally friendly foods. Even small, occasional servings of deep-fried foods and condiments are appropriate offerings if operators use healthy, non- hydrogenated oils, and avoid potatoes, breading, and other refined carbohydrates in favor of fish, vegetables, legumes, and legume flour. Research confirms that the vast majority of people report better adherence to a moderate- or higher-fat, healthy diet.