There are many different types of fat. That’s why it’s essential to understand what fats you need and what fats are best to avoid. In this article we will learn about fats and the important role they play in our daily diet.
Not All Types of Fat Are Created Equal
If you’re like me, you bought in to the idea that fats are the enemy and you should avoid them at all cost, or at least keep them to an extreme minimum in your diet. I associated all fats with obesity, high cholesterol, and heart disease, just to mention a few health conditions linked to the consumption of saturated fats. Therefore, I opted for low fat or no fat foods when grocery shopping, as well as no-saturated alternatives and fat substitutes and replacers.
But the fact is, you NEED fat in your diet because your body requires fat in order to function properly. However, all fats are NOT equal. Some fats are believed to be bad for you, and others good for you. Certain fats promote health and other fats are absolutely essential for good health.
Some benefits of fats are:
- Fats build brain cells and are key building blocks to a healthy brain. They boost intelligence and it is thought that an imbalance in the right kind of fats may lead to a variety of mental disorders including depression, hyperactivity, schizophrenia and brain allergies.
- Fats are a source of fuel for your body. They also aid in the absorption of certain vitamins.
- Fats are essential building blocks that your body needs to produce hormones. Fats are a major component of every cell in your body.
- Fats insulate and protect vital organs and nervous system tissue in your body. They lubricate your joints and keep your skin and arteries supple.
- Getting sufficient fat in your diet is more conducive to long-term weight loss efforts than adhering to a low fat diet.
Healthy Fats
Unsaturated fats
Unsaturated fats are “good” fats that remain in a liquid or oily state at room temperature, contrary to saturated fats which remain in a more solid form.
Unsaturated fats are more commonly known as vegetable oils, this is because they’re mostly plant-based, although certain meats do contain some naturally unsaturated fats. These are found mostly in plant oils—usually in nuts and seeds—and some in fish.
Unsaturated fats are two types: monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats.
Monounsaturated fats
Monounsaturated fatty acids are liquid at room temperature but begin to turn semisolid or solid when refrigerated or chilled. They are known to help reduce bad (LDL) cholesterol levels in your blood while increasing the good (HDL) cholesterol, lower your risk of heart disease and stroke, and provide nutrients to assist in developing and maintaining healthy cells. If you have arthritis or asthma, monounsaturated oils are beneficial because of their anti-inflammatory properties. Monounsaturated fats have also been found to aid in weight loss.
Olive, canola, peanut, hazelnut, and almond oils are all high in monounsaturated fats. So are avocados, peanut butter, and other nuts and seeds, including walnuts, pistachios, almonds.
Polyunsaturated fats
Polyunsaturated fats, like monounsaturated fats, are healthy fats. They are liquid at room temperature and remain liquid when refrigerated or chilled.
You don’t want to use polyunsaturated fats for high temperature cooking, because they are extremely vulnerable to damage from heat and create toxic substances that are harmful to your health. It is important to avoid all foods fried in polyunsaturated vegetable oils. You’d be best to use these oils in sauces, salad dressings and dips, or to add flavor to your favorite dishes by sprinkling the cooked food with oil just before serving.
Polyunsaturated fat is found grain products, soybeans, soybean oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, fish oil, and fish and seafood (herring, mackerel, salmon, halibut, trout).
Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids can’t be made in your body, you have to get them from your diet. Excellent sources of omega-3s are cold-water fish oil (salmon, sardines, tuna, mackerel), natural eggs, grass-fed red meat, chia seeds, flax seeds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, avocados, and some dark leafy greens.
If you have dry hair, dry skin, eczema, acne or other inflammatory skin conditions, you may not be getting enough essential omega-3s in your diet. Omega-3 fatty acids help to reduce inflammation in your body, and are thought to improve and maintain cardiovascular health by lowering blood pressure and triglyceride levels. If you’re suffering from depression or other mood disorders, you may benefit from adding omega-3s to your diet.
Omega-6 Essential Fatty Acids
American diets tend to have too much omega-6 in relation to omega-3 fatty acids, creating an imbalance that leads to long-term diseases such as cancer, heart disease, autoimmunity and neurodegenerative diseases, arthritis, asthma, obesity, depression, dyslexia, and hyperactivity. Restoring a proper balance of these fats in your diet is vital for optimal health and may actually relieve these conditions.
Omega-6 fatty acids are found in refined vegetable oils that are used to prepare popular fast foods, processed foods, sweets, cookies and crackers that are so common in our American diet.
Both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are used by your body to synthesize hormones, but it’s interesting to note that the hormones derived from omega-6 fatty acids have the opposite effect of those derived from omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-6 fatty acids have the tendency to increase inflammation as a basic immune response, as well as increase blood clotting, and cell proliferation. Omega-3 fatty acids have the tendency to reduce these same functions.
Can you see how important it is for these two families of hormones to be in balance?
To do just that, you begin minimizing the use of corn oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, cottonseed oil and mayonnaise, margarines, salad dressing and processed foods made from these oils. The way to be aware of this is to learn to check the food labels as you shop.
Saturated fats
Saturated fats are mainly animal fats that are solid at room temperature.
Saturated fats are mainly animal fats that are solid at room temperature. Red meat, eggs, whole milk dairy products (butter, cream, ghee, cheese, ice cream, sour cream, etc.), suet, tallow, lard, and chocolate are the main sources of saturated fats in your diet.
Saturated fat intake has been linked to an increased risk of stroke, atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. These fats raise good and bad cholesterol; both are needed, but the balance resulting from saturated fats is negative, so you are best to limit these fats.
One exception is coconut oil, which is good for you and has many health benefits. And if you’re going to fry foods, your best choice is to use coconut oil above all other oils. It’s the only stable oil that resists heat-induced damage.
Fats To Avoid
Trans fats and hydrogenated fats
Trans fats, or hydrogenated fats, are definite “bad fats.”
Trans fats, or hydrogenated fats, are definite “bad fats.” Trans fats and hydrogenated fats raise LDL cholesterol and lower HDL cholesterol. They also cause inflammation, an overactivity of the immune system, which can cause heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. They also promote cancer, obesity and reproductive problems.
These fats are artificial, and are found in shortenings and some margarines and other processed foods such as commercially baked goods (cookies, cakes, crackers) and many fried foods (french fries and doughnuts). Avoid them as much as possible.
Bottom line
Hopefully, from this article you have gotten some ideas about different types of fat: which are good fats and which are bad fats. You can take an active role in either staying healthy or improving the state of your health through utilizing your everyday nutrition intake including fats! Happy healthy eating.
