FATS: THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY 

Fats are one of the major nutrients essential for our body besides proteins and carbohydrates. Here are a few functions of fat in our body: 

  • They are our energy sources 
  • Provide fuel for muscles 
  • Help in absorption of fat soluble vitamins 
  • Act as emergency reserves of energy 
  • Provide padding in the joints 
  • Important components of cell membrane 

 

BAD FATS – 

Two types of fats are bad for your heart – trans fat and saturated fat. Both of them should be avoided or eaten sparingly 

    Saturated fats: 

These fats are mostly animal based and found in high fat meat and dairy. Excess intake of saturated fat has been shown to increase blood cholesterol levels and low density lipoprotein (LDL) which results in higher risk of heart diseases and type 2 diabetes. Some sources of saturated fats are : 

  • High fat dairy products (butter, cheese, whole milk ) 
  • Lard 
  • Tropical oils (coconut oil, palm oil) 
  • Fatty cuts of beef, pork, lamp. 

     Trans fats: 

They stand short for trans fatty acids. They are created by a process known as hydrogenation. Hydrogenation is basically a process by which vegetable fats are converted into solids by adding hydrogen atoms. These are the worst kind of fats and are found in foods like:  

  • Fried foods (everything that is deep fried)
  • Processed foods 
  • Baked goodies (cookies) 
  • Margarine and vegetable shortening 

Trans fats also suppress the HDL levels or good cholesterol. They are three times more harmful than saturated fats. 

 

GOOD FATS –

  Monounsaturated fats: 

      These fats are present in a variety of foods and oils. They improve the blood cholesterol levels by decreasing the LDL levels in your blood which can decrease your risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. They are present in foods like:                             

  • Avocado
  • Nuts (almonds, peanuts, cashews)                                    
  • Peanut butter and almond butter 
  • Vegetable oils (olive oil, canola oil) 

Polyunsaturated fats: 

These are mostly plant-based fats and are also helpful fats. Omega 3 fatty acid is a type of polyunsaturated fat which is said to be essential for the body, particularly the heart. They are found in :

  • Seafoods (tuna, salmon, sardines) 
  • Walnuts 
  • Oils like soyabean and canola oil 
  • Flaxseeds 

 Healthy fats are thus an important part of your diet but its important to proportion them properly with the other nutrients in the diet and moderate their consumption as they are very high in calories. 

It is necessary to replace all the bad fats with the good ones. Take one step at a time. First try removing all the trans fats and gradually the saturated fats. Then make necessary replacements with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. This will make your meals more nutritious and risk free.