Thursday, March 27, 2008

The Skinny on Fats

Ever look at a food label and wonder what exactly is in all of those fats they list on the jar? Did you know some of those fats are good? It's important to understand the types of fats your body needs and the types that put you at risk of increasing your chances of disease, and your waistline.

There are four types of fats we eat almost daily, saturated, trans, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated.

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), saturated and trans fats are bad fats, tending to be solid in form, like a stick of butter or shortening. They increase the cholesterol levels in your blood, raising the bad (clogs arteries) and lowering the good (protects heart).

Eating trans fats significantly increase the threat of developing heart disease and stroke. It's also connected with the development of Type II diabetes, and can be found in donuts, french fries, and cookies, just to name a few.

Clearly it's crucial to limit the amount of saturated fats, and the AHA says to eat less than seven percent of total daily calories. (Translation: you really should be looking at labels and ingredients of what you eat!)

Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated are most often liquid forms (oils), and can be beneficial in moderation, to cholesterol. Monounsaturated fats often contains vitamin E, an antioxidant vitamin most Americans are not getting enough of. Foods like avocados, nuts, seeds, fish, and oils contain the good fats.

The AHA explains that both, poly and mono, provide essential fats that your body can't produce itself but needs– such as omega-6 and omega-3. These fats for healthy cell development; brain function, along with, natural growth and maturity of the body is assisted by the omega's.

Nevertheless, good or bad, all fats are 9 calories per gram; therefore a diet too high in fat will lead to obesity and other diseases.


The most beneficial way to maintain healthy weight is to limit the intake of fats and when possible, replace bad fats with good. Eating lots of veggies, fruits, whole-grain, high-fiber foods, fat-free and low-fat dairy products, lean meats, poultry, and fish is the best way to keep you diet low in fat reports the AHA.


Eating healthy doesn't mean giving up on some of the things you may truly enjoy. It's fine to indulge with treats but doing it sparingly is essential. The AHA gives great ideas on how to
Live Fat-Sensibly, suggesting ways to snack, grocery shop, eat out, and cook within a healthy sensible means!


Also, check out
sensible substitutes of fatty food you might be eating on the regular!


Okay, so now that you have the low-down on good and bad fats, you might wonder, "how much should fat should I be eating (or not eating) daily?"

The AHA provides an exact amount based on your age, weight, height and sex, with
the Fats Translator! <<--Check this thing out! It's very interesting; it uses your specific body type to explain what fats you should be limiting in your diet and how to do it. Also gives great tips for keeping your fat intakes low for every meal!


No comments: