Learn the key distinctions between healthy and unhealthy fats. Find different healthy and unhealthy fat sources to improve your diet plan and live a healthy life.
Dietary fats can be quite complex due to the huge amount of misinformation and confusion surrounding them. Earlier doctors used to prefer to adapt to low-fat diets; however, new research shows that healthy fats are essential for the body.
It is necessary to differentiate between healthy and unhealthy fats to maintain a healthy diet with all the essential nutrients. Read this blog to learn more about healthy fats and what food items with healthy fats to include in your diet.
What are healthy fats?
Healthy fats are considered good fats that, if taken in moderation, help build overall health. These healthy fats are mono and polyunsaturated fats associated with beneficial effects on cardiovascular health, brain health, and others. Doctors view monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats as being more heart-healthy fats. Generally, there are two types of fats – monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.
Monounsaturated fats
Monounsaturated fats are healthy for the body. Substituting monounsaturated fats for saturated and trans fats improves blood lipid profiles and lower bad LDL cholesterol levels. Olive oil, nuts, peanut butter, and seeds contain monounsaturated fats.
However, it is essential to take monounsaturated fats in limit because they are dense in calories. Therefore, check your portions, especially if you’re trying to control weight gain.
Polyunsaturated fat
Polyunsaturated fatty acid is another type of unsaturated fat that is healthy and essential for the body. Two major categories of fatty acids, omega-3 and omega-6, are included in polyunsaturated fats. Since the body cannot make its own, these fatty acids are obtained only through diet. The molecular structure of these fats has several double bonds.
Flaxseeds and chia seeds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and soybean oil contain polyunsaturated fats. Omega-3 and omega-6 intake must be balanced for the best possible health advantages. Hence, it is recommended that a balanced diet include foods high in both kinds of polyunsaturated fat.
What are unhealthy fats?
They are considered bad fats, generally linked to negative health effects. They are of two types – saturated and trans fats, which are not considered healthy fats. It is advised to consume less than 7% of your daily calories from saturated fats and less than 1% of trans fat in the diet. By replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats, keep your total daily fat intake between 20 and 35 percent of calories.
There are two types of unhealthy fatty acids. They are –
Saturated fats
Saturated fats are found in animal-based products and a few plant-based oils. Saturated fats increase the risk of high LDL. Full-fat dairy products, palm oil, coconut oil, poultry with skin, and cut meats are full of saturated fats which are associated with increasing cholesterol levels if taken in excess amounts.
Trans fats
They are a type of unhealthy dietary fat formed out of hydrogenation. They are used in food industries to improve the texture, taste, and shelf life of the food. They have a negative health effect on the body if used exceedingly. Sources of trans fat include fried foods, baked foods, potato chips, and margarine You can check the trans fat levels in the packaging of the food. They are even more harmful than saturated fatty acids, as they contribute to high levels of LDL. According to NHS, trans fat intake for adults should not exceed 5g per day.
Conclusion
Keeping a healthy diet requires knowledge of healthy and unhealthy Fats. Health benefits from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats include improved heart health, memory, and energy. However, harmful fats like trans fats and saturated fats pose serious health risks. By reading food labels, choosing cooking oils low in saturated fats, and choosing whole foods over highly processed ones, one can increase their consumption of healthy fats.