All foods have a mix of specific types of fats. Fats are one of the important nutrients that provide your body energy. Fats help in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Apart from this it keeps you full therefore, intake of healthy fats is extremely important for your overall health. Fat is needed to perform several functions such as to build cell membranes, it is essential for blood clotting, muscle movement and inflammation. There are different types of fats like saturated fats, unsaturated fats and trans fats. However, all fats are not equal. Good fats or healthy fats include unsaturated fats. Bad fats or unhealthy fats include industrial-made trans fats which undergo processing. Excessive consumption of fats can lead to weight gain and other health problems. Therefore, you should be mindful while including fats in your diet.
What are saturated fats?
Saturated fat and also known as the “solid fat” is solid at the room temperature. It is mostly found in animal foods, such as milk, cheese, butter, milk and meat. Poultry and fish have less saturated fat as compared to red meat. Saturated fat is also found in tropical oils, such as coconut oil, palm oil, and cocoa butter. Foods made with butter and margarine have a lot of saturated fat. Saturated fat can raise your cholesterol and can even cause heart attacks. Therefore, these fats should be consumed in limited quantities as they can have a negative impact on your health. Even healthy foods like chicken and healthy nuts contain saturated fat, though much less than that found in beef, cheese and ice cream. Hence, moderation is the key when you consume these foods.
What are unsaturated fats?
Unsaturated fat is liquid at room temperature. It is mostly found in oils from plants. Therefore, you should try to eat mostly unsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat are the two types of unsaturated fat. They are beneficial for your body because they can lower cholesterol levels, ease inflammation, maintain a healthy heart, and offer other health benefits as well. Food groups that contain unsaturated fats are vegetable oils, nuts, avocados, olives, walnuts and salmon.
What are trans fats?
These fats are liquid fats that are converted to solid fats during food processing techniques. This is a fat that has been changed by a process called hydrogenation. This process increases the shelf life of the fat and makes the fat harder at room temperature. Trans fat are not healthy as they can raise your cholesterol, so try avoiding them. They are mostly found in processed foods, snack foods, such as a packet of chips and crackers, cookies, fried foods, doughnuts, some margarine and salad dressings. Some meats and dairy products contain small amounts of trans fats, but they are usually found in processed foods. They are not healthy for your body, therefore, it is best to avoid them.
