Fats Revealed

Fat is a necessity in our lives. Fats helps nutrientabsorption, nerve transmission, etc. However, when consumed in excessamount, fats causes weight gain that will lead to health problems likeheart problems, high blood pressure and many more. Fats are not createdthe same. There are fats that is good for our health while someincrease our risks of heart disease. We need to replace the bad fatswith good fats in our diet.

Saturated fats increases our bloodcholesterol as well as LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol). Saturatedfats are usually found in meat, dairy, eggs and seafood.

Transfats also referred as "hydrogenate" liquid oils so that they canwithstand better in food production process and have longer shelvelife. As a result of hydrogenation, Trans fatty acids are formed. Transfatty acids are found in many commercial foods such as French Friesfrom some fast food chains, other packaged snacks such as microwavepopcorn as well as in vegetable shortening and hard stick margarine.

Monounsaturatedfats however lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (the badcholesterol) and increase the HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol).Nut, canola and olive oils are high in monounsaturated fats.

Polyunsaturatedfats also lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. Seafood likesalmon as well as corn, soy and sunflower oils are high inpolyunsaturated fats.

Please avoid using cooking oils that arehigh in saturated fats and/or trans fats such as coconut oil, palm oilor vegetable shortening. Instead, use oils that are low in saturatedfats and high in mono- and polyunsaturated fats such as canola oil,olive oil.

Trim visible fats and skins from meat products.

Withbetter understanding of the types of fats, the rate of obesity can belowered. Not forgetting with a balance regime of exercise as well.