Weight loss, the one subjet that is filled with controversy, contradiction and so called ‘expert medical opinion’ ….One message tends to ring out loudly – to lose weight, eat less fat!
A trip to the supermarket still leave us faced with such choices as:
But what on earth are we supposed to make of these? Low fat is touted as the key to losing weight, reducing cholesterol and preventing health problems. But that is not entirely true, in fact the standard low fat diets are completely misleading.
All fats contain 9 calories per gram – but this does not make them equal. The difference between the types of fat are huge and have a real implication on our health.
Yes, some fats increase cholesterol and raise the risk of heart disease.
But some fats actually protect the heart, and others are essential to health.
The four main types that we encounter in our diet (dietary fats) include:
Fats are essential for the healthy running of our bodies, in particular because some vitamins require fat to allow them to dissolve. But we need to be aware of which to avoid, and which to include, in order to enjoy the benefits without piling on excess pounds, alongside the other health concerns. The simple answer is to replace saturated and trans fats with unsaturated fats.
The issues that are attributed to consuming the ‘bad’ types of fat include cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. You can usually recognize them by their state at room temperature – which is solid. Just think of beef fat, pork fat, butter, lard and stick margarine.
Saturated fat – mainly comes from animal sources of food, including red meat, poultry and full-fat dairy products. This type of fat raises total blood cholesterol levels as well as low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels – linked to cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
Trans fat – this is mainly produced by a food processing method called partial hydrogenation. The process of partially hydrogenating oils makes them easier to cook with and less likely to spoil than naturally occurring oils. Studies have shown that these types of fats can increase LDL cholesterol and lower healthy high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. You will find trans fats in most of the following:
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