Good and bad fats

Everyone needs a little bit of fat in his diet.  Fats are essential in many different functions of the body.  It is needed for the body to maintain the reliability of the membranes of its cells, it is very valuable in helping the body better absorb nutrients from the foods that it consumes, and it is even essential in the various nerve transmission processes that the body goes through every day.  The problem however, as it is with most things, is that over consumption of fats may lead to adverse effects on health.  Too much fat in the diet may lead to undesirable gains in weight and to many diseases that affect the heart and the cardio vascular system.  It may also lead to various types of cancer.  Fortunately, there are “good” fats and there are “bad” fats.  The key then to getting a healthier diet without totally getting rid of the fat is to be able to cut down on the bad fats and substitute the good fats for them.

First, let take a look at the good fats.  Good fats are divided into two categories: the monounsaturated fats and the polyunsaturated fats.  Monounsaturated fats or MUFA are fats that lower the LDL cholesterol of the body.  LDL cholesterol is usually regarded as the “bad” cholesterol.  But aside from LDL cholesterol, monounsaturated fats also lower the total cholesterol levels of the body.  Then after lowering the bad cholesterol, monounsaturated fats increase the levels of HDL cholesterol which is the “good” kind of cholesterol.  Good doses of monounsaturated fats in the diet have also been regarded as very favorable elements in helping to reduce weight and curb body fat.

Nuts are usually very good sources of monounsaturated fats.  These include nuts such as walnuts, pistachios, peanuts and even almonds.  Avocadoes and olive and canola oils have also been found to have very good monounsaturated fat content. 

Just like MUFA, polyunsaturated fats also reduce the LDL levels of the body and the total cholesterol levels as well.  This kind of fat can be found in most seafood and especially in salmon.  It can also be found in sunflower oils, soy, and corn.  A very prominent example of polyunsaturated fats is the omega 3 fatty acid which is found in tuna.

The bad fats are also separated into two distinct categories: the saturated fats and the trans fats.  Saturated fats are not good for the body because they raise the levels of bad cholesterol while raising the total level of cholesterol as well.  This type of fat is usually found in meat, eggs, and other dairy products.  Palm oil and coconut oil have also been found to have high levels of this bad fat.

Trans fats on the other hand are by products of the process of hydrogenation which is used to prolong the shelf life of foods that are commercially packaged.  As such, trans fats are usually found in packed French fries and other ready to fry foods and in commercially packed snacks such as pop corn made for the microwave.  Trans fats are also in very high amounts in stick margarine and in vegetable shortening.

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