A Comparison of Healthy and Unhealthy Fats

 

             A Comparison of Healthy and Unhealthy Fats

As long as you consume healthy fats, eating fats is one of the secrets to good health and a long life.

Fat has a somewhat difficult past among Americans. It's a crucial macronutrient (one of three, along with protein and carbohydrates), yet the public has a lot of misconceptions about its nutritional worth.

Mid-century scientific research suggested a connection between heart disease and high-fat diets. Even those who weren't at high risk for heart disease started adopting lower-fat diets on the advice of their doctors. As a result, by the late 1980s, followers of the low-fat diet were surviving solely on fat-free yogurt, margarine, and carbohydrates.

Since then, additional investigation and analysis have revealed that there are many more nuances to the function that dietary fats serve in maintaining our general health. Even diets like the Ketogenic diet, which emphasizes consuming healthy fat in levels up to 70% of the daily recommended calorie intake, have become more popular in recent years.

Knowing how to maintain a healthy diet might be challenging given all the conflicting advice out there. Should we eat fat or should we avoid it? Which kinds of fats are considered "good" and "bad"? In order for you to spend less time searching the internet for research studies and more time eating balanced meals—which, sure, should contain healthy levels and types of fat—we consulted a nutritionist to get the low-down on healthy vs. unhealthy fats.

 

The Healthiest and Unhealthiest Types of Fat to Consume

1 Optimal Fats vs. Adverse Fats

It is true that not all fats are beneficial, to start. Saturated and trans fats are typically seen as unhealthy, but unsaturated fats are regarded as relatively beneficial. It's not all black and white, though.

For instance, although there is a little amount of saturated fat in avocados, they are primarily composed of monounsaturated fats. They are therefore a generally healthy food that should be consumed in moderation.

Saturated fats and trans fats

Which foods are high in "bad" fats?

The American Heart Association lists a number of fried meals, lard, cream, butter, cheese, and red meat like beef as foods that are high in saturated fats.

Unsaturated fats like trans fats are present in small amounts in meat and dairy products naturally. However, a commercial procedure called hydrogenation, which lengthens the shelf life of vegetable oils, produces the majority of trans fat.

Trans fats are present in a lot of manufactured and shelf-stable foods due to their low cost and lengthy expiration dates. Since trans fats are changed less frequently than their more healthful fatty equivalents, many eateries employ them in their deep fryers.

In other words, trans fats are included in many fast foods, including french fries, as well as processed goods like crackers and cookies.

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1.     Numerous studies have demonstrated that eating a lot of saturated and trans fats raises your "bad" cholesterol (LDL) and lowers your "good" cholesterol (HDL), which can increase your chance of developing heart disease.

2.     According to a Presidential Advisory board in a significant review released by the American Heart Association, "the scientific rationale for reducing saturated fat in the diet has been and remains based on well-established effects of saturated fat to raise low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, a leading cause of atherosclerosis."

3.     Consuming trans fats have also been connected to a rise in inflammation in the body, which can lead to diabetes and arthritis among other chronic health disorders.

Unsaturated Fats

Conversely, healthy fats are typically monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that are obtained naturally from entire foods such as fruits, nuts, seeds, and seafood. For instance, when individuals talk about Omega-3 fatty acids, they are referring to polyunsaturated fat that is good for your heart and is present in fatty fish, algae, and flaxseeds.

"While harmful fats can contribute to chronic disease and deplete your energy, healthy fats help you stay healthy and enjoy an active, disease-free life. They've also been demonstrated to raise your risk of developing certain medical issues "says Pompeian consultant and sustainable food and nutrition specialist Kate Geagan (MS, RD). 

2 Advantages of Consuming Healthy Fats

Including the correct forms of fat in your diet has some significant health benefits.

Fats are much more complex than the calories or grams of fat listed on the Nutrition Facts panel or even the "kind" of fats we often consider (such as monounsaturated fats), according to Geagan. Because they offer a wide range of preventative and healing advantages in every bite, some fats play a crucial role in life and vigor.

The American Heart Association asserts that consuming unsaturated fats in your meals and snacks lessens the prevalence of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality while also supplying your body with vital nutrients that it cannot manufacture on its own.

For those who follow the Mediterranean Diet, olive oil is a must-have ingredient, and for good reason. Powerful polyphenols (including oleocanthal and oleuropein), found in high-quality olive oils like Pompeian Extra Virgin olive oil, greatly reduce inflammation and shield your cells from DNA damage.

According to Geagan, regular EVOO consumption can lower blood pressure and enhance blood vessel lining function.

"According to research, the high concentration of antioxidants in EVOO may offer further defense against heart disease and stroke. In a seminal study, the risk of cardiovascular disease decreased by 10% for every daily increase in EVOO consumption of 10 grams."

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3 How Much Good Fat Can You Eat?

Do we have unrestricted access to unsaturated fats if they are healthy for us?

The giant guac jar might need to be stored. The proverb "everything in moderation" holds true for good fats as well, as you would have guessed. According to Geagan, the USDA suggests that healthy adults aim for 20–35% of their calories to come from fat, while this percentage can go up to 40% for youngsters.

She advises folks to start with simple substitutions that don't raise their daily calorie intake. For instance, using avocado on a sandwich in place of mayo or additional cheese, or substituting olive oil for vegetable oil when cooking. Overindulging in healthy fats will not boost the benefits and may make it more difficult to maintain a healthy weight (which is another key component of overall health).

4 Sources of the Healthiest Fats

Luckily, a wide variety of tasty, filling foods contain healthful fats: Geagan specifically suggests the following as the best natural sources of good fats:

• Oil of olives

• Avocados

• Seeds

• Nut kinds of butter with nuts (just watch out for added sugar in store-bought brands)

• Omega-3-rich, oily seafood (like salmon, barramundi, tuna, sardines, mackerel, and trout)

Try serving olive oil-dressed Israeli couscous with seared fish for a well-balanced supper, or top your evening chicken with an almond crust. Choose healthy snacks like a no-bake nut and seed bars, half an avocado dusted with salt and chili flakes, or mixed nuts (just make sure they aren't roasted in vegetable oil!). Or try dipping crisp vegetables and nutritious crackers in a smooth, hummus-topped dip.

Take pleasure in the sources of fat you decide to incorporate into your diet. She exclaims, "Taste and taste are essential to enjoying your meals and your life." "The fact that the Mediterranean diet's delectable flavor is one of the primary factors in its ability to bring about such long-lasting improvement is one of its truly astonishing advantages. People are far more likely to maintain an eating pattern that they find to be filled with scrumptious foods." And healthy fats unquestionably play a role in it.

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