| When most people think of fat in their diet, they | | | | bad. |
| immediately think BAD. We've been conditioned to | | | | All saturated fats and trans fats are bad. |
| believe that all fat in the diet is bad. This simply is | | | | Saturated fats include any fat of beef origin, like |
| not true. Fat is an essential nutrient; what matters | | | | butter or beef fat (lard). Dairy products originate |
| is what kind of fat it is. Good fats can work | | | | with beef, so the fat in a dairy product is |
| wonders; bad fats indeed will destroy your health. | | | | saturated. Any solid shortening is a saturated fat. |
| A no-fat diet is a disaster. Without any fat in the | | | | Saturated fats and trans fats are both dietary |
| diet, your body would react in a multitude of | | | | disasters. |
| unhealthy ways, such as destroying your gall | | | | Trans fats are a manmade invention, and are a |
| bladder and having your hair fall out. So the | | | | good example of how sometimes people know |
| healthiest strategy is to minimize bad fats and go | | | | just enough to be dangerous. When it was first |
| ahead and indulge (in moderation) the good fats. | | | | discovered back in the 50's that heart disease |
| Remember that all fats, good and bad, contain | | | | was caused in part by saturated fats, food |
| lots of calories, 9 calories per gram. The | | | | scientists took to the lab and created trans fats; |
| difference lies in how heart-healthy the individual | | | | this is when margarine was born. Today, trans |
| fats are. | | | | fats are in almost every processed food on the |
| Good fats in your diet can actually help you lose | | | | store shelves. Initially, they thought trans fats |
| weight and avoid a whole range of diseases | | | | would be a healthy alternative to saturated fats, |
| including heart disease and cancer. Nutrition | | | | but they were wrong. Most nutritionists today |
| experts insist that if suddenly all Americans were | | | | admit that trans fats are bad and might even be |
| to switch from bad fats to good fats, we'd see | | | | worse than saturated. Trans fats are present |
| huge results and be much healthier. Unfortunately, | | | | whenever you see the phrase, |
| the typical American diet is loaded with bad fats | | | | "partially-hydrogenated." Food labeling laws do not |
| and short on good fats. Bad fats do indeed wreck | | | | yet mandate than trans fats be listed, so you |
| havoc with our health. It's the bad fats which | | | | have to read labels carefully. |
| promote obesity, heart disease, cancer and other | | | | Cholesterol is often considered a bad fat, and it |
| ailments. Bad fats are not needed by the body at | | | | certainly is bad if it's clogging your arteries. |
| all but good fats are essential. Every one of the | | | | However, the cholesterol clogging your arteries |
| six billion cells in your body requires good fats to | | | | primarily comes from eating saturated and trans |
| function properly. | | | | fats, not from eating cholesterol laden foods like |
| So which are the good fats and which are the | | | | eggs. Cholesterol is made by the body and is |
| bad fats? Put in the most simple terms, saturated | | | | actually considered an essential fat. The food |
| fats and trans fats are bad, monounsaturated and | | | | industry uses this confusion to their advantage. |
| polyunsaturated fats are good in varying degrees. | | | | Many food products are labeled "cholesterol free," |
| The term saturated refers to the molecular | | | | yet they're loaded with saturated or trans fats so |
| composition of the fat molecule. A fat is | | | | unsuspecting consumers think they're buying a |
| saturated if the outer electron shell is full | | | | heart-healthy food. WRONG. Although you don't |
| (saturated) with electrons. The fat molecule also | | | | want to eat a lot of cholesterol, what you really |
| contains hydrogen atoms paired with carbon | | | | want to avoid are saturated and trans fats. |
| atoms. If only one pair exists, it's a | | | | Monounsaturated: (The healthiest type) |
| monounsaturated. Polyunsaturated means there | | | | Olive oil |
| are multiple bonds. But don't worry, you don't | | | | Canola oil |
| have to understand molecular biology in order to | | | | Peanut oil |
| eat healthy! | | | | Avocado oil |
| In general, saturated (unhealthy) fats are solid at | | | | Almonds |
| room temperature. Think of butter. It's as | | | | Pecans |
| saturated as a fat can get and it remains hard at | | | | Polyunsaturated fats: (Second healthiest type) |
| room temperature. All saturated fats are solid at | | | | Corn oil |
| room temperature. Olive oil, which is a | | | | Safflower oil |
| monounsaturated fat, is liquid at room | | | | Sesame seed oil |
| temperature. Corn oil, a polyunsaturated fat, is | | | | Soy oil |
| also liquid and room temperature. In general, | | | | Sunflower oil |
| monounsaturated are the healthiest fats and | | | | You might have heard of the so-called |
| polyunsaturated fats come in second. (See list | | | | "Mediterranean Diet," which is what folks in |
| below) Monounsaturated are considered the | | | | countries like Italy, Greece and Spain eat. A typical |
| healthiest because they help raise your "good" | | | | Mediterranean diet includes 30-40% fat but since |
| cholesterol (HDL) and lower the "bad" cholesterol, | | | | most of the fat comes from olive oil, those |
| (LDL). Polyunsaturated will help lower overall | | | | countries have significantly less heart disease and |
| cholesterol, but it lowers both the good and the | | | | obesity than the United States. |