Dietary Fat - Healthy or UnhealthyWhat is Dietary Fat For?Just 1g of fat contains 9 calories - more than double the calories in 1g of protein or carbohydrate. It's easy to consume too many calories when eating high-fat foods which can contribute to weight gain.
Some dietary fats promote good health while others increase risk of heart disease. The key to a healthy diet is to substitute good fats for bad fats, and to AVOID trans fats.
The Good Dietary Fats: Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated
Monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) are the good fats. They increase
HDL (high-density lipoprotein)
the "good cholesterol" while lowering
LDL (low-density lipoprotein)
the "bad cholesterol". These can be found in nuts: peanuts, walnuts, almonds and pistachios. Also avocado, canola and olive oil are high in MUFAs. MUFAs helps in weight loss and are a focal point in various diet plans, such as the Flat Belly Diet and the Mediterranean Diet.
The Bad Dietary Fats: Saturated and Trans
Saturated fats are dangerous because they raise 'bad' cholesterol and can block up the arteries to the heart. Saturated fats are mainly found in animal products such as suet, tallow, lard and fatty meat; dairy products (especially cream and cheese but also butter and ghee); coconut oil, cottonseed oil, palm kernel oil, chocolate, and some prepared foods.
Serum saturated fatty acid is generally higher in smokers, alcohol drinkers and obese people.
Trans fats were invented as scientists began to "hydrogenate" liquid oils so that they can perform better in the food production process and provide a better shelf life. As a result of hydrogenation, trans fatty acids are formed. Trans fatty acids are found in many commercially packaged foods, commercially fried food such as French Fries from some fast food chains, other packaged snacks such as microwaved popcorn, some biscuits as well as in vegetable shortening and some margarines.
Recomended Amount of Dietary FatNo more than 11% of our energy should come from saturated fat. Men should eat no more than 95g of fat per day and only 30g or less should be saturated fat. Women, and children aged 5-10, should eat no more than 70g of fat per day and only 20g or less of this should be saturated fat.
How to Avoid Unhealthy Fat?
Return from Dietary Fat to Lose Weight With Us -
|
Polyunsaturated fats also lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. They can be found mostly in grain products, fish and sea food (herring, salmon, mackerel, halibut), soybeans, and fish oil. Omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil, (fish and seafood) have been shown to lower the risk of heart attacks.[1] Omega-6 fatty acids in sunflower oil and safflower oil also reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, but can contribute to allergies and inflammation.
