By comparing unsaturated fats, saturated fat, and trans fats, we discover that while they've got similar amount of calories, they aren't all created equal. Given that we are not able to live without them, we must always make educated options concerning how unsaturated fats, saturated fat, and trans fats compare, and identify which of them to seek on the ingredient label and that to avoid.
Can We Eradicate All Fats From Our Diet?
First, let's start by asking: would we be better off, as many weight reduction diets recommend, eliminating all fats to be safe? No because we want some fat in our diet to assist the body soak up certain nutrients, such as fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Fats also provide linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid for development and metabolism. Plus, fat provides taste to foods and makes us feel fuller. So allow us to study the three basic fats, and show the advantages and drawbacks.
1. Unsaturated Fats (the good). Derived from vegetables and crops, unsaturated fats can be found as monounsaturated fats in peanut oil, avocados, nuts, olives, and olive oil, and as polyunsaturated fats in soybean oils, corn, sesame, safflower, and cottonseed. Omega-3 fatty acids, present in cold water fish, flax seed, soy, and walnuts, are important for health, are from the advantageous class and are found to assist our immune system. Unsaturated fats are the ones to seek on the label.
2. Saturated Fat (the bad). Resulting from animal products including meat, dairy, eggs, and other products, saturated fat is going to be dense at room temperature. There is certainly a whole bunch of gray zone relating to saturated fat, with a great deal having to do with their molecular composition, which we (fortunately) will not get into here. They directly raise LDL (bad) levels of cholesterol and clog arteries, which results in many different health issues. But they also help facilitate the absorption of Vitamin D, which incorporate calcium within the bones, in addition to brain cell maintenance, and protection for the liver from toxins, infectious disease prevention, and as with unsaturated fats assists in fat-soluble vitamins absorption. Rather obviously you can find no clear-cut statements, other than we shouldn't or couldn't eradicate saturated fat from your well-rounded diet if we wanted to, but it really is one area that we should maintain moderation.
3. Trans Fats (the ugly). There is not a lot of good that can be said for these guys. Forty percent of our supermarkets shelves are stocked with food that contain trans fats and everything that is processed, baked or fried will have them in their components. New York City has tried to legislate trans fats out of all foods, and McDonald's is able to effectively eradicate them from their fare. But they lengthen product shelf life, and they make food taste a whole lot superior. However, the costs of trans fats are huge. Analyses have revealed the link with trans fats and belly fat gain and in several cases body fat was redistributed to the stomach. Even low calorie diets may produce fat gain if those calories occur from trans fats. They aren't natural, but are manufactured when liquid oils are turned into solid fat like shortening and hard margarine by adding hydrogen.
In order to make sure the way you manage your intake of fats, you will need to become good at two things: learn how to read labels and what those weird-sounding ingredients are, and prepare more meals at home. There's a third approach, and it has become increasingly prevalent, and that is the diet meal delivery services that offer complete meals seven days a week. We recommend Diet-to-Go, where you can turn food planning and preparation over to someone you have faith in for about $18 per day. There are numerous other providers as well that are serving this fast-growing industry.
Author Resource:
Much of the guesswork can be taken out of what fats are good for you and in what quantities. Our page on Meal Delivery Plans will explain the easy and cost effective way of having the dietary experts plan, prepare and delivery your meals, and you will love them. If you like to cook, our page on Mediterranean Diet Recipes will tell you all about this healthy way of cooking. Jim O'Connell is a writer and health enthusiast living in London.