The Good Fats vs. Bad Fats

The body does need certain fats to perform well, but not all fats are good for you; some, in the wrong amounts, can be bad for your health; yet there is such a misconception about the ones that are good. Read below to find out the good vs. the bad. Types of Healthy Fats

1. Saturated fats. Animals are the primary source of saturated fats, with high levels found in beef and full-fat dairy products and medium levels in poultry and eggs. Some vegetable oils, such as palm oil, also contain a lot of saturated fat. Saturated fats are necessary for the body — but in small amounts. Less than 10 percent of your daily calories should come from saturated fats, preferably from lean poultry and low-fat or fat-free dairy products. For people who consume 2,000 calories per day, only 20 grams at most should come from saturated fat.
2. Unsaturated fats. These good fats are what you should eat the most of as part of a heart-healthy diet. There are two types of unsaturated fats: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Pecans, hazelnuts, almonds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, olive oil, peanut oil, and canola oil have high concentrations of monounsaturated fats. Fish, flax seeds, flax seed oils, corn oil, soybean oil, and sunflower oil contain polyunsaturated fats. Omega-3 fatty acids — found in some types of fish like salmon and herring, and in plant products, such as soybean oil, canola oil, walnuts, and flax seed — are a type of polyunsaturated fat that are thought to be particularly good for the heart.
3. Trans fats. These are the fats you may want most but shouldn't’t have. Most unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature. To make them solid, food manufacturers add extra hydrogen, making it a “hydrogenated,” or trans, fat. The highest levels of trans fats are found in baked goods, animal products, and margarine.

Effects of Non-Healthy Fats: Eating a meal high in saturated fats — lots of steak, with potato salad loaded with eggs and mayo — creates the following reaction in the body:

Triglyceride (made from excess calories and stored in fat cells) levels go up. High triglyceride levels increase the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart problems. Blood vessels narrow. Blood Pressure goes up. LDL levels increase.

And even though trans fats come from vegetable sources, they can cause more heart problems than saturated and unsaturated fats. For this reason many food manufacturing companies and restaurants are no longer using trans fats, and most food labels state their trans fat content.

Good Effects of Fats: Replacing some saturated fat from animal sources with healthy fat from plant sources can reduce LDL and triglyceride levels and your risk of cardiovascular disease. A recent study found that replacing harmful carbohydrates — found in processed foods like white rice, white bread, and so on — with foods such as nuts and fatty fish, decreases LDL (“bad cholesterol”) levels and increases those of HDL (“good cholesterol”). The researchers also found that eating foods rich in good fat: Lowered blood pressure Reduced heart risks Improved lipid levels

If you’re smart, you’ll opt for unsaturated fats every time. My favorites are avocado, walnuts, and almonds, if you have not incorporated any of these foods into your eating regimen then now may be a good time to start.