Choosing The Right Fats
We are perfectly created, therefore even fats have an important role to play. Having said this, let me describe fat first. Fat stores energy while it shields our vital organs. It is also known as the passage system of fat-soluble vitamins. Basically, we need it in our body but only in moderation. Eating fat in large amounts will make us grow heavier and will increase the chance of reaching the level of obesity.
Get The Right Stuff
To stay in the health scope, we must only consume at most 55 to 60 grams of fats per day. There are several types of fat and they are categorized in two broad categories which are, “The bad fats” and “The good fats”. Each type has different effects on your health.
The bad fats are identified as Trans fat and Saturated fat. When vegetable oil undergoes a certain process called hydrogenation, trans fat in formed. This process causes the oil to harden; as a result hard fats are produced. Moreover, trans fat increases bad cholesterol and decreases good cholesterol levels, this condition increases the risk of having heart disease. The most common sources of bad fats in our daily diet are fried food, cakes, pastries, cookies and the like.
Saturated fat works in the same way with trans fat. It increases bad cholesterol levels that cause heart diseases. Some of the identified sources of saturated fat are fatty meat, margarine, dairy products that contains high fat and other food prepared with coconut milk and palm-based vegetable oil.
On the other hand, the two good fats are polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat. These two reduce the bad cholesterol in the body which in effect will keep the body healthy and away from chronic diseases.
Polyunsaturated fat reduces the dangers of blood clotting and decreases the risk of heart problems. Its major sources are the food rich in omega-3 like sardines, mackerel, salmon and longtail shad. Other sources are canola oil, walnuts, sunflower oil , soybean oil and the like. Monounsaturated fat also reduces bad cholesterol in the body. The foods that are rich in monounsaturated fat are peanut oils, nuts, canola oil and olive oil.
Apparently, it is easier to exceed fats consumption than to stay in average. But now that you already know the types of fats and their benefits, always choose the good over the bad. Also, strive to consume fats in moderation as even good fats when taken excessively can be harmful to your health.