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There is much talk about fat and there are good fats and bad fats. It can get confusing.
We do need fats because fats help the body to absorb nutrients, as well as helping with nerve transmission, and by maintaining cell membrane integrity. Fats consumed in excess though can be bad as that leads to weight gain, heart disease and certain types of cancer. There are also different kinds of fats.
The good fats are monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fats. These are the fats that can lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. The LDL is the bad cholesterol. It can also increase the HDL, which is the good cholesterol. Nuts, and canola and olive oil are high in MUFAs. If you need to lose weight MUFAs can help you.
Polyunsaturated fats can also lower total cholesterol and the LDL cholesterol. Foods high in polyunsaturated fats are seafood such as salmon and fish oil, corn, soy, and safflower and sunflower oils. Omega 3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats.
The bad fats are saturated fats, and trans fats. Saturated fats can raise your total blood cholesterol and they can also raise your LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol). Animal products contain saturated fats. Foods such as meat, dairy, eggs and seafood contain saturated fats. Coconut oil, palm oil and palm kernel oil are plant foods and are high in saturated fats.
Trans fats are something scientists invented. Trans fatty acids are found in many commercially packaged foods. French Fries from fast food chains and other packaged snacks such as food made with vegetable shortening and hard stick margarine are also made from trans fats.
So what does all this talk about good fats and bad fats mean as far as what we should eat?
To have a healthy diet avoid using cooking oils that are high in saturated fats and trans fats such as coconut oil, palm oil, or vegetable shortening. Healthy eating means using oils that are low in saturated fats and high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats such as canola oil, olive oil and flax seed oil.
Avoid or at least lessen your purchase of commercially packaged foods, which are high in trans fats.
Make sure you read labels before purchasing foods and avoid any that have trans-fat in them.
Saturated fats are found in animal products, so use lower-fat versions of dairy such as drinking 1% or skim milk instead of whole milk. When cooking meats trim all visible fats off of them and when eating turkey and chicken take the skin off first.
Originally posted 2009-02-11 15:31:15.
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