For
years I’ve heard people talk about ‘good fats vs bad fats’ but never quite knew
which was which. Well, according to the
American Medical Association, I have my answer.
Healthy Fats
Fats
in food transport some vitamins through the bloodstream and help your body
store energy. They make food taste
smooth and creamy and help make you feel full.
Oils from nuts, seeds, and vegetables as well as fats from seafoods
provide healthy benefits and can reduce your risk of heart disease. These fats, known as unsaturated fats, are
usually liquid.
Monounsaturated Fats – Olive,
canola, and peanut oils are the main sources of monounsaturated fats, and the
healthiest fats you can eat. The lower
LDL (the so-called bad cholesterol) and raise HDL )good cholesterol) I the
blood, helping lower heart disease risk.
Polyunsaturated Fats – These fats,
which are essential for good health, include corn, sunflower, safflower,
flaxseed, and soybean oils, as well as the oils in fatty fish such as
salmon. Rich in omega-3 and omega-6
fatty acids, they lower total cholesterol (but also cut HDL cholesterol).
Plant Sterols – Nuts, seeds, and many other
pant foods contain substances called plant sterols that slow the absorption of
dietary cholesterol and can lower LDL and total cholesterol levels in the
blood. Soft margarines and salad
dressings with added plant sterols are available in most stores.
Harmful Fats
Foods
high in saturated and trans fats can increase your risk for heart disease and
some forms of cancer. These kinds of
fats are usually solid and semisolid at room temperature, although they may
turn liquid when heated. It’s not
possible to avoid all harmful fats because they occur in many foods, but it’s
best to cut back wherever you can.
Saturated Fats – Plentiful in met, dark-meat
poultry and poultry skin, butter, full-fat dairy products, coconut oil, and
palm oil, saturated fats increase total blood cholesterol and LDL (bad)
cholesterol. Limit these fats, along
with trans fats, to no more than 8 to 10 percent of your total daily calories.
Trans Fats – Stick margarine and shortening
contain hydrogenated oils that raise total blood cholesterol and LDL
cholesterol levels. Called trans fats,
they are also common in packaged and processed foods, baked goods, and fried
foods such as French fries.
Cholesterol – Egg yolks, liver, shellfish,
and full-fat dairy products are rich in cholesterol, which can raise blood
cholesterol, which can raise blood cholesterol, although it does not do so in
all people. Saturated and trans fats
have a great impact on blood cholesterol than does dietary cholesterol.
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