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Thursday, February 18, 2010

Types of Fats

Dear Readers,
 
Hope you enjoyed the previous article Know About Cholesterol, As i promised about different types of fats, i am writing in this post about different types of fats. In this article few points might be very technical please bare with me, the reason i am trying to explain in details about all these is so that reader who are looking for complete expiation about this topic.
 
Fats can actually be broken down into different forms.  Few of them are below.
 
•    Saturated Fats
•    Unsaturated Fats
•    Trans Fatty Acids
•    Omega-3 Fatty Acids
•    Omega-6 Fatty Acids
 
Saturated Fats: Are fats derived primarily from animal sources such as beef and similar products.  These fats are hard at room temperature, such as the fat ring, or bark, on the outer edge of a nice T-bone or New York strip steak.  Saturated fats are the type you generally would like to avoid.  Saturated fats should be limited to less than or equal to less than 10% of total calories per day.
 
Unsaturated Fats: Can be further divided into monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat.  Polyunsaturated can be further divided into omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.  Generally, unsaturated fats come from plant sources such as canola oil, olive, and similar products.  It is recommended that you replace saturated fats with monounsaturated fats whenever possible as these are thought to be generally helpful from a health standpoint.
 
Trans Fatty Acids: Is used in the production of many foods such as peanut butter and oils used for cooking french-fries and donuts.  Essentially, a trans fatty acid is an unsaturated fat turned into a saturated fat.
 
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Are found in fish oils and are thought to be very beneficial to cardiovascular health.  Omega-3 fatty acids reduce the tendency of blood to clot, and help the heart maintain a steady rhythm.  They also reduce the bodies inflammatory response which is thought to reduce the likelihood of atherosclerotic plaque breaking off and clogging an artery.
 
Omega-6 Fatty Acids: These are similar to omega-3 fatty acids, but and are essential for providing linolenic acid.  Generally, omega-3 fatty acids are preferred over omega-6 fatty acids.
Know lets see which are good and which are not good for your health? Most of us know that Trans Fatty Acids are not good for our health at all. The total amount of fat you eat, whether high or low, isn't really linked with disease. What really matters is the type of fat you eat.

The "bad" fats—saturated and trans fats—increase the risk for certain diseases. The "good" fats—monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats—lower disease risk. The key to a healthy diet is to substitute good fats for bad fats—and to avoid trans fats.

Although it is still important to limit the amount of cholesterol you eat, especially if you have diabetes, dietary cholesterol isn't nearly the villain it's been portrayed to be. Cholesterol in the bloodstream is what's most important. And the biggest influence on blood cholesterol level is the mix of fats in your diet—not the amount of cholesterol you eat from food. Omega 3 comes under good fats, so it recommended to use (in the form of Oily fish or supplement format) on daily basis to make sure your fat intake is balanced.

Related Articles:
About Omega 3
Omega 3 Fatty Acids
About Cholesterol 

For detailed guide about fats and cholesterol send me request at ease email me at nutrition.sr.consultant@gmail.com

Feel free to post your comments and recommendation about articles in comments section, so that we can improve the quality of the articles.

 


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