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What are Good Fats vs. Bad Fats and why is Protein so important?
Warning: This is by far the most boring article I’ve written. But some people want to know these things.
We have always been told fatty foods are high in calories and can lead to unhealthy levels of cholesterol and heart disease. But fat is also an integral part of a healthy diet, so it is important to know how to get the right kinds in the right amounts. Animal and vegetable fats provide valuable and concentrated energy.
Fats slow down the absorption of nutrients into your system so that you can go longer without feeling hungry. They aid in sugar and insulin metabolism which will help with weight loss. They also act as carriers for important fat-soluble vitamins, aid in the absorption of vital minerals, and help make it possible for other important biological operations within the body to occur.
Which fats are beneficial and which are toxic?
Basically it all comes down to molecular structure, and how the differently formed fat molecules affect your body.
Let's start with the GOOD fats.
The healthiest fats come from plants and vegetables and are known as unsaturated.
(Unsaturated fat molecules contain at least one pair of carbons linked by a double-bond. Of the unsaturated good fats, the healthiest is monounsaturated, named for its one pair of double-bonded carbons.)
This is the kind of fat that can actually lower your bad cholesterol and reduce your risk of heart disease. It also supplies fatty acids essential for skin health and cellular development and is believed to help prevent certain kinds of cancer like breast and colon cancers.
Excellent sources of monounsaturated fat include olive oil, canola oil, nuts (raw, never roasted or salted), and avocados.
Another healthy fat from the unsaturated family is known as omega-3 fat, which is a form of polyunsaturated fat. Omega-3 fats are found mainly in cold-water fish such as salmon.
(This is named for its multiple pairs of double-bonded carbons.)
They are also found in flaxseed, walnuts, and almonds. Like monounsaturated fat, omega-3 improves heart health by keeping cholesterol levels low. It can also aid in stabilizing irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) and reducing blood pressure.
Another group of fats that are now accepted and have health benefits are the saturated fats. These are found in meat, dairy, and other animal products. Saturated fat molecules are called saturated because they are saturated with hydrogen.
(This means that their molecules contain as many hydrogen atoms as is chemically possible.)
Although they were once thought to be directly linked to heart disease, studies have proven that these fats are important for many reasons, including their role in cellular development and hormone production.
As highly concentrated sources of protein and energy, saturated fat also helps slow down the rate at which you absorb food. This will allow you to feel full for longer.
Good fats are all natural animal or vegetable fats. Bad fats are man-made.
Trans-fatty acids or trans-fats as they are known are produced by the partial hydrogenation of oil. The negative effects of these toxins are still being discovered. They include contributing to heart disease by increasing bad and lowering good cholesterol levels, raising insulin levels in the blood and depleting your system of vital nutrients. They are also bad for the brain and nervous system.
Avoiding trans-fats can be kind of tricky! But is certainly worth it.
They are not always listed as trans-fats on food labels. Avoid all products that contain hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, or shortening. Processed foods that are commonly made with trans-fats include some margarines, baked goods, crackers, fried foods and salad dressings.
Now you know which fats to avoid and which fats can be incorporated into our lifestyle.
(Sorry for the chemistry lessons. Some people are curious though.)
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