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One of the most important yet disliked things is fats. We all have it, but we don’t like it. Eliminating all the data from our day to day diet is not advisable. Also, staying away from the fat does not aid weight loss. We need fats but the right one and in the right quantity. We cannot survive without fats. Fats are imperative for a healthy diet, smooth skin and keep you fit. The fats have vitamin and also act as a source of energy. What makes the call is the knowledge about the good fat vs bad fat, the saturated fat vs unsaturated fat. Which fats need to be consumed and in what amount? What role do the omega 3 fatty acids play and ways through which you can avoid the fats that can clog the artery?
The prime reason for fat intake is the fact that fats add flavour to our food and tastes good. As a result of which daily food intake has nearly 34-40% of the fat.
Misconception About Fats
We all believe that fats are responsible for adding weight or making is obese. However, there is not the fact. Logically if you take in more calories than required, you are bound to gain weight. And by calories, we mean calorie from all, proteins, carbohydrates, alcohol and fats. Total add up to increase your daily calorie intake and these aid weight gain. Another important factor that leads to weight gain is less or no physical activity. If you keep on galloping food and does not induce any activity, you are bound to gain weight followed by obesity.
However, it is also worth mentioning that fat has the maximum weight of calories. One gram fat causes nine calories to induce in your body. So you need to choose carefully, what you eat and in what amount. Eating a greater amount of fat not only add mass to your belly but also give way to certain life-risking diseases.
Hence, it is imperative that you choose fats in the right proportion. Over consumption of fats lead to heart disease, and the controlled fat intake helps reduce the risk. You need to choose healthy fats but remember that irrespective of the type or form, all fats distort your waistline. Cutting off fat not only aids weight loss and brings you back in shape but also increases your life expectancy.
There is a significant relationship between cancer and obesity. The rate of breast cancer and colon cancer are high in people with obesity.
Do not think that eating less fat would control your cancer but eating less fat would help you to control your weight which in turn reduces the risk of cancer.
Fats: The types
There are two major kinds of fats that you will have while you eat foods. They are saturated and unsaturated fats. Let’s dive into what each means.
Unsaturated Fats- Good or Bad?
To start with, we have good fats or unsaturated fats. Unsaturated fats, in turn, comprises of the poly and the mono unsaturated fats. If you have either of the polyunsaturated and the monounsaturated fats in decent and moderate amounts, you are likely to reduce your cholesterol level and thereby aid weight loss. Also if you use the above two mentioned fats to replace the trans or the saturated fats, then you will reduce the overall effect of fats in your body. These also reduce the risk of exposure to heart diseases.
Polyunsaturated Fats
To discuss in detail, the polyunsaturated fats are found mostly in the vegetable oils and help in reducing the overall level of cholesterol in the body. Also, the polyunsaturated fats reduce the level of triglycerides in the body. The major benefit or the advantage can be witnessed when you use these fats in replacement of the saturated or the trans fat. One of the most common and the convenient form of the poly saturated fats is the Omega 3 fatty acids. Also, the above has exceptional benefits for the health of the heart, and so it seeks a lot of attention.
You can easily find the Omega-3 fatty acids in the fatty fish such as the catfish, trout, salmon, and mackerel. Also, you can find the fatty acids in flaxseed as well as walnuts. Above all, the one which is the most efficient is the fish also referred to as the “long-chain” type of the omega-3s. A recommendation by the American Heart Association suggests people eat at least two servings of the fatty fish every week.
Another great source of fatty Omega acids are the plant sources. Also, they can be used as the substitute for the saturated or the trans fatty acids. But it is worth stating that the plant source is not as efficient as the fish in reducing the risk of the heart diseases. It is advised the intake of the Omega 3 fatty acids is largely due to food and not any medical supplements. It is always better to use food sources for the intake. Only for the people or the individual who have existing heart disease, supplements are preferred. However, there are no proven facts that taking supplements reduces the risk of heart disease.
Apart from the polyunsaturated fats, another type of the unsaturated fats are the monounsaturated fats. They are also considered helpful in reducing the rate of heart disease. Olive oil is one of the best sources of the monounsaturated fats. Also, they are an excellent source of the vitamin E. Some of these include avocados, almonds, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, peanut oils, olive, and canola oil.
Saturated Fats – Good or Bad?
Now, it’s time for the saturated or the bad fats. These are basically of two kinds the trans fat or the saturated fats. Both are highly effective in increasing the risk of heart disease and also raise cholesterol levels. They can also lead to clogging of the arteries.
You can easily find saturated fats in animal products such as meat, eggs, poultry skin, and high-fat dairy. Also, the vegetable fats that stay liquid at the room temperature such as the palm or the coconut oils are an excellent source of the saturated fats. A recommendation has been given by the Dietary Guidelines in 2005 stating that an individual must restrict the total fat intake of saturated foods by 10% or less. Your total calorie intake through the saturated fats must not exceed 10%. However, another recommendation by the American Heart Association is restricting the total saturated fat access to 7% of the total food intake.
Lichtenstein recommended the intake of the liquid vegetable oils as a substitute of the animal or the part the hydrogenated fats. There are proven facts that suggest that saturated fats have a distinct effect on leveraging rates of both colon and prostate cancer.
We have now understood that there are two types of saturated fats trans fatty acids or trans fats. These two kinds of the trans fats can be found easily in the natural sources such as the dairy and meat in considerably lesser amounts, and if you opt for the ones that can be found in artificial food, then you can look for the liquid oils or the fats that are partially hyderogenàted.
Considering the artificial or the natural trans fat, the latter does not pose any threat to life or heart health. And also if you choose the lean meat or the dairy products that are lower in fat, then you don’t need to worry. The main issue or risk is associated with artificial ones. Primarily found in sources as fried foods, the baked foods, the cookies, or the icings, and the crackers, the packaged snack foods, and the microwave popcorn, along with the kinds of margarine.
Make Your Call
So, the best way to keep away from the trans fat and substitute it with the unsaturated fats or the goods fats is to become a label reader. Make it a habit to read the back of the packaged food and check whether the product has saturated or the unsaturated fats and also the amount in which they are present. You can then pick up foods that have good fats and stay away from the bad ones. You can also go for vegetarian meals or pick up fresh fruits and vegetables to be on the safer side.
