Fats

Fats are an integral part of your diet and important for good health. Fats in your diet are as important as carbohydrates and protein. It is one of the main macronutrients and your daily diet should have some fats. Some of the important functions of fat are:

• Provides energy

• Keeps your body warm

• Keeps your skin and hair healthy

• Absorbs vitamins (vitamin A, D, E and K) from food

There Are 3 Types Of Fats, With Some Of Them Being Healthier Than Others

• Unsaturated (Good)

• Saturated (Bad)

• Trans fats (Bad)

Unsaturated Fats

These are the good fats. They should be an essential part of your daily diet as they keep the heart and brain healthy. They are liquid at room temperature and include polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats.

• Monounsaturated Fats

  Found in olive and canola oil, avocados and some nuts, such as cashews and almonds.

  They help in lowering LDL (low-density lipoprotein - bad) cholesterol, and keep HDL (high-density lipoprotein - good) cholesterol at higher levels.

• Polyunsaturated Fats

  Found in flax seeds, walnuts, fishes like Salmon, tuna, and other fatty fish and oils like corn oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, and sunflower oil.

  Good for heart as they help in lowering the blood cholesterol. Also good for people suffering with arthritis, joint problems or some skin diseases.

Saturated Fats

These are bad fats. Eating saturated fats in large amounts may raise your blood cholesterol levels and thus increases your risk to heart disease. They are usually solid at room temperature. They are found in

• Dairy foods such as butter, cream, full fat milk and cheese.

• Meat – such as fatty cuts of beef, pork, lamb and chicken (especially chicken skin), processed meats like salami.

• Some plant products like Palm oil, Coconut, Coconut milk and cream.

• Fried and Bakery products such as biscuits, cakes, pastries, muffins, pizza, burgers, chips etc.

Trans Fats

These are also bad fats as they increase bad cholesterol (LDL) and decrease the good cholesterol (HDL) in your blood. Thus, they increase the risk for heart diseases. They are actually unsaturated fats but due to processing, they act like saturated fats. They are found in:

• Packed foods

• French fries and other fried foods

• Bakery foods like cookies, cakes, doughnuts etc

• Butter and some margarine

It is always advisable to read the label before buying any food item as type and amount of fat is always mentioned in the label. Your body needs fat for proper functioning but for good health choosing the right kind of fat in the right amount is in your hand.