September 3, 2010
Fat Consumption, Health and Weight Loss
Here’s some important information about fat consumption, health and weight loss. According to a recent scientific research project published by the Harvard School of Medicine, the type of fat we eat plays a larger role in our health than the total quantity of fat we eat. The “good fats” (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats) are actually essential for us and reduce our chances for disease. The so-called “bad fats” (saturated and trans fats) can lift our chances for disease and are shown to contribute to weight gain. The important fact here is that some fat is essential in our diet. And it’s important to know that a proper diet includes a reasonable amount of good fats and a minimal amount of bad fat, if any at all.
The first formula for a sound fat diet is to avoid trans fats. Trans fats are the single most disease-promoting fat present in our diets. Unluckily, they permeate our foods, specially convenience store and restaurant food, which can make trans fats especially daunting to avoid. The second rule for a hearty diet is to replace good fats in place of bad fats. This requires that we know the difference between the two.
The Good Fats: Unsaturated Fats
Monounsaturated fats reduce one’s overall cholesterol levels and facilitate weight loss by melting off body fat. You will find monounsaturated fats in almonds, peanuts, pistachios, walnuts, avocado, canola oil, and olive oil.
Polyunsaturated fats are also renowned for lowering bad cholesterol. These fats are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, found largely in cold-water fish, nuts, oils and seeds, and also in dark leafy greens, flaxseed oils and many of the vegetable oils (corn oil, soy oil, safflower oil and sunflower oil).
The Bad Fats: Saturated Fats
Saturated fats are best distinguished by the fact that they will be solid (not liquid) at room temperature. The saturated fats then are those we see in meat and dairy products: cheese, butter, lard, bacon fat. Saturated fats provoke LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. They should be averted as far as possible.
The Really Bad Fats: Trans Fats
Trans fats are not naturally occuring. They are, one might say, made in a lab. Trans fats are constituted by converting liquid vegetable fats into solid fat through a chemical process called hydrogenation. Hydrogenated fats are trans fats, and are found in packaged foods as well as fried foods. Look on labels in the grocery store for hydrogenated fat content and opt not to consume any foods that contain it.
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