In lay man terms fat can be divided into either 'Good fat' or 'Bad fat'. It is important to remember that fat is an essential part of your diet and it is the excess of fat that is harmful.
Unsaturated fats are the Good fats. They could be Mono or Poly unsaturated fats (depending on the number of hydrogen atoms the fat can accept). They decrease the harmful LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein a.k.a. the Bad cholesterol). A specific kind of unsaturated fat called Omega 3 fatty acid has been shown to be cardio-protective (good for your heart).
Below are examples of food items rich in these Good fats.
| Monounsaturated fat | Oils from vegetable sources like Olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil and nuts. |
| Polyunsaturated fat | Most vegetable oils like safflower, corn, sunflower, soya bean oil and cottonseed oil |
| Omega-3 fatty acids | Salmon and other similar fishes, flax oil and walnuts |
Saturated and trans fats (trans-fatty acids) are the Bad fats. They can increase the risk of atherosclerosis (clogging of the blood vessels).
Following is a list of these Bad fats that you should avoid.
| Saturated fat | Meat, poultry, seafood, egg yolks, dairy products, lard and butter. Amongst plant products coconut and palm oils have the highest saturated fat |
| Trans fat | Crackers, cookies, french fries and margarine |
| Dietary cholesterol | Similar to saturated fat except it is only in animal fats. |
Fat should not contribute more than 35 % of your daily calories per USDA. For example a healthy adult may consume about 2100 calories. No more than 700 should come from fat. Each gram of fat gives 9 calories hence you should not be eating more than 77 grams of fat. This is the MAXIMUM you should eat. No more than 10% of these should come from saturated fats. Trans fat should be no more than 2 grams a day. You should also not be eating more than 300mg of cholesterol a day.
Using the guide above you should try to change your cooking style trying to replace the Bad fat with the Good counterpart.
0 comments:
Post a Comment