A healthy diet must consist of more good fats than bad fats. It is important to become aware of the good and the bad to maintain a healthy body.
Good Fats? Bad Fats?
When it comes to a healthy and well-balanced diet, many avoid fat as much as possible. Hence, there is a reason behind this fear of fats. It s because most fats are bad, but there are still good fats that you should include in your diet. Fat play a role in many illnesses such as :
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Heart illnesses
- Obesity
However, you need to become aware that bit all fats are bad. Some fats are good for the health and promote better health. Therefore, knowing the difference between good and bad can help you determine food to avoid and eat in moderation. There are tons of researches that provide clear information about dietary fat.
Moreover, dietary fat is called fatty acids that are normally found in both plants and animal sources. Some fats can indeed give you negative effects, but some are beneficial to overall health.
Fortunately, fats are an essential part of the diet if taken in a well-balanced diet. Additionally, the same as carbohydrates and protein can fuel the body for energy. Also, there are important bodily functions that rely on fats. For instance, some vitamins need fat to dissolve.
The Healthy Fats
Furthermore, two types of unhealthy fats are saturated and trans fat, which are very harmful to health. Hence, foods with these fats become solid at room temperature, like:
- Margarine
- Butter
- Pork fat
- Beef fat
- Shortening
It is good to avoid trans fat as much as possible, while saturated fat should be consumed sparingly.
The Saturated Fats
Fats that come from animals are saturated, like high-fat meat and dairy products. The following are food to avoid as much as possible:
- lard
- dark chicken meat and kin
- fatty cuts of beef, pork, and lamb
- dairy foods (whole milk, butter, cheese, sour cream, ice cream)
- tropical oils (coconut oil, palm oil, cocoa butter)
Unfortunately, health experts blame high saturated fat consumption on heart diseases. According to Harvard, there are studies about this type of fat that it is not as bad as we think. However, it is still not the best choice.
The Trans Fat
Trans fat is present in foods made from hydrogenated vegetables, and it is the worst kind of fat. You can find it in:
- margarine
- deep-fried foods (fries, doughnuts, fast foods)
- vegetable shortening
- baked goods (cookies, cakes, pastries)
- processed snack foods
The same with saturated, trans fat can also increase bad cholesterol and hold back the production of good fat.
The Good Cholesterol
You should not be afraid of fats as good ones like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are all heart-healthy fats.
Monounsaturated Fats
Furthermore, the good ones are in different kinds of foods and oils. Consequently, it can improve blood cholesterol levels and lower down the risk of having heart diseases. The foods that you can safely eat are:
- avocado
- nuts
- vegetable oils like olive oil and peanut oil
- peanut butter and almond butter
Polyunsaturated Fats
These are essential fats that come from healthy oils and plants. Hence these are omega-3 fatty acids. This type can lower down chances of getting coronary heart disease.
A certain type of this fat is called omega-3 fatty acids, is particularly beneficial for your heart. You can get it from:
- salmon
- herring
- sardines
- trout
- walnuts
- flaxseed
- chia seeds
- canola oil