How to Know the Good Fats from the Bad

Knowing which fats you should or should not have in your diet can literally be a matter of life and death. This is because some fats will increase your blood cholesterol and your risk of heart disease, while other fats will lower that risk. In this article, we will explore how different kinds of fats affect our health.

Saturated Fats

Saturated fats are the fats found in butter, lard, dairy products such as whole milk and cream, and high fat cuts of meat. Saturated fats are also found in oils such as coconut, palm, and palm kernel. These fats may also be found in processed foods. Consuming very much of these kinds of fats will raise the LDL, or "bad" cholesterol.

Monosaturated Fats

Monosaturated fats are some of the good guys. They help to lower the "bad" cholesterol when they are substituted for saturated or trans fats. These fats are found in olive oil, canola oil, peanuts and other nuts, avocados, olives, and peanut butter without the hydrogenated oil and any other saturated fats.

Polyunsaturated Fats

Polyunsaturated fats are more of the good guys. They also lower the "bad" cholesterol in the body. These fats can be found in safflower, sunflower, and soybean oils. They are also found in soybeans, walnuts, sesame seeds and the oil, fish, and ground flaxseed.

Trans Fats or Trans fatty Acids

Trans fat, or trans fatty acids come into existence when a liquid fat is hydrogenised, forming stick butter or vegetable shortening. Also in this group of trans fats are some fast food french fries. Most baked goods, such as pies, cakes, and cookies, will contain trans fats. Trans fat, or trans fatty acids are not our friends. They are known to increase the chances of getting cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is a disease that relates to both the heart and the blood vessels.

Trans fats are bad for the heart in the following ways as well. Not only do trans fat raise the "bad" cholesterol, they also lower the HDL, or "good" cholesterol at the same time. Trans fats also increase the level of triglycerides in the body. Triglycerides are the natural fat in the body tissue. Triglycerides make up much of the fats and oils of both the animal and vegetable tissues. An excessive amount of triglycerides in the body can cause stickier platelets, which in turn can cause plaque to form in the arteries.

Knowing if a food item contains any trans fat can sometimes be tricky. Unless the package is specifically labeled as having no trans fat, the amount of trans fat per serving will be listed under the saturated fats on the package label.

There are a couple of catches to the labeling of trans fats. Again, unless the item is specifically labeled as having no trans fats, check the rest of the ingredients on the container. If the words partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated oil pop out at you, chances are the food item contains trans fat. One more thing about the labeling of trans fats. If a food item contains less than one gram of trans fat per serving, it can be labeled as having no trans fat. However, if you have more than one serving size, you will be consuming trans fat.

Omega-3 Fats

Omega-3 fats are our best friends in the fat family. These fats are not the fats that our bodies make. Instead, we get these fats from the foods we eat. Omega-3 fats are considered heart healthy because these fats have been known to reduce the formation of blood clots, smooth out the lining of our arteries, while acting as an anti-inflammatory. Omega-3 fats also prevent arrhythmias (irregular heart beats).

The American Heart Association recommends we have six ounces (two servings) of fish every week while adding plant based foods to our diet that are rich in Omega-3 fat. Some of these items are ground flaxseed, flaxseed oil, walnuts, canola oil, soy foods, soybean oil, and Omega-3 enriched eggs. There are also fish oil supplements available to ensure you get your recommended daily amount of this incredible fat.

Just one reminder if you do have a high level of triglycerides, talk to your doctor about the best way for you to get your recommended amount of Omega-3 fats.