The total amount of fat you eat, whether high or low, isn't really linked with disease. What really matters is the type of fat you eat. The "bad" fats, saturated and trans fats, increase the risk for certain diseases.
The "good" fats, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, lower disease risk. The key to a healthy diet is to substitute good fats for bad fats, and to avoid trans fats.
Although it is still important to limit the amount of cholesterol you eat, especially if you have diabetes, dietary cholesterol isn't nearly the villain it's been portrayed to be.
Cholesterol in the bloodstream is what's most important. And the biggest influence on blood cholesterol level is the mix of fats in your diet, not the amount of cholesterol you eat from food.
Bad Fats
Saturated fats
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Saturated fats raise total blood cholesterol as well as the bad LDL cholesterol.
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Main contributors to heart disease.
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Promote obesity due to the excess calories they provide that are more readily stored as fat.
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Mainly found in animal products such as meat, dairy, eggs and seafood.
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Some plant foods are also high in saturated fats such as coconut oil and palm oil.
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Not all saturated fats are alike, and some are beneficial to our health.
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Some margarines contain saturated fats, and these margarines are mostly made from vegetable oils.
Trans fats
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Trans fat is the worst kind of fat
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Trans fats are the result of hydrogenation, a process that occurs when hydrogen is added to a vegetable oil for the purposes of maintaining shelf life.
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Trans fatty acids are found in many commercially prepared foods to enhance their longevity.
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They can raise total and bad LDL cholesterol levels while also lowering good HDL cholesterol levels.
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Found in processed foods such as non dairy cream, microwaved popcorn, cookies, cakes, fries and donuts.
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Any item that contains “hydrogenated oil” or “partially hydrogenated oil” likely contains trans fats.
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As from January 2006, all food manufacturers are required to list trans fat content on food labels.
Good Fats
Monounsaturated fats
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Lower total cholesterol and bad LDL cholesterol and increase the good HDL cholesterol.
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Found in olive oil, nuts, sesame seeds, peanut oil, canola oil and avocados.
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Liquid at room temperature but begin to solidify at cold temperatures.
Polyunsaturated fats
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Polyunsaturated fats also lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol.
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Found in seafood like salmon, corn, soy, safflower and sunflower oils.
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Omega-3 fatty acids are critical for our health.
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Good sources of omega-3 fatty acids are cold-water fish, flax seed, soy, and walnuts.
Summary of good fats
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Good fats are an efficient energy source.
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They are a good source of protective nutrients for the brain and muscular system.
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An insulation source for the body, as they form a protective barrier against climate conditions and harmful substances.
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They serve as padding to protect vital organs.
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They are required for normal cell, tissue, gland, and organ function.
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They can come only from fats, hence fat-free diets cannot supply them.
Problems that can occur due to lack of good fats
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Dry skin
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Constipation
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Low energy levels
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Brittle hair and hair loss
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Poor nail growth
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Liver and kidney deterioation.
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Behavioral changes.
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Glands dry up
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Immune system deterioration.
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Digestion problems, inflammation, bloating, allergies, autoimmune conditions
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Bone mineral loss
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Reproductive failure: sterility in males and miscarriage in females
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Vision and learning problems
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Insulin resistance
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Increased risk of overweight
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Increased cancer risk
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Increased cardiovascular risk
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Decreased tissue oxidation
Fats and cooking
The smoke point of various fats is important because it is believed that fats that have gone past their smoke points contain a large quantity of free radicals which contribute to risk of cancer. The supplied table gives the smoke points of some fats.
|
Fat
|
Smoke Point °F
|
Smoke Point °C
|
|---|---|---|
|
Unrefined canola oil
|
225°F
|
107°C
|
|
Refined canola oil
|
400°F
|
204°C
|
|
Extra virgin olive oil
|
320°F
|
160°C
|
|
Virgin olive oil
|
420°F
|
216°C
|
|
Unrefined sunflower oil
|
225°F
|
107°C
|
|
Refined sunflower oil
|
450°F
|
232°C
|
|
Unrefined corn oil
|
320°F
|
160°C
|
|
Refined corn oil
|
450°F
|
232°C
|
|
Unrefined flaxseed oil
|
225°F
|
107°C
|
|
Unrefined peanut oil
|
320°F
|
160°C
|
|
Unrefined soy oil
|
320°F
|
160°C
|
|
Refined soy oil
|
450°F
|
232°C
|
|
Unrefined walnut oil
|
320°F
|
160°C
|
|
Hemp seed oil
|
330°F
|
165°C
|
|
Butter
|
350°F
|
177°C
|
|
Ghee (Indian Clarified Butter)
|
485°F
|
252°C
|
|
Coconut oil
|
350°F
|
177°C
|
|
Unrefined sesame oil
|
350°F
|
177°C
|
|
Sesame oil
|
410°F
|
210°C
|
|
Lard
|
370°F
|
182°C
|
|
Macadamia nut oil
|
390°F
|
199°C
|
|
Cottonseed oil
|
420°F
|
216°C
|
|
Grapeseed oil
|
420°F
|
216°C
|
|
Almond oil
|
420°F
|
216°C
|
|
Hazelnut oil
|
430°F
|
221°C
|
|
Peanut oil
|
440°F
|
227°C
|
|
Refined peanut oil
|
450°F
|
232°C
|
|
Soybean oil
|
495°F
|
257°C
|
|
Avocado oil
|
520°F
|
271°C
|
1. Harvard School of Public Health Nutrition Source.
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