The whole truth about fats ... Health Tips

If you do not know how to treat conflicting reports about fat dangers for health, or feel guilt over your love for greasy food, then know you are not alone. But the idea that fat is just bad, is obviously exaggerated. In fact, many fats do not just give food good taste, but are also a component of a healthy diet. For example, fats are an important source of energy and building blocks for your cells. Moreover, certain types of fats can make your heart healthier.

You should not be surprised that you feel a natural attraction to fatty foods. Even 40,000 years ago, fats necessarily were included in a diet of primitive hunters. Nuts and grains containing a large amount of fat served them as a pleasant-tasting source of energy, provided necessary nutrients and helped to survive starvation.

So when you want to eat a piece of bread with butter, salad with mayonnaise or a bar of chocolate melting in the mouth, do not feel guilty - perhaps this desire reflects a hidden primitive instinct.

Truth about fats. Source of energy

Fat improves characteristics and taste of food, as many aromatic additives are soluble in fats. Fat makes meat juicy and soft, cheese soft, bread crisp, and dairy products more dense. Simultaneously, fat is an important source of energy needed for your body. One gram of fat contains 9 calories, which is two times higher than calorie content of protein and carbohydrates. However, please be aware that foods containing large amounts of any fats is very high-calorie and can lead to overweight.

Good and bad fats

Fats differ in the relative content of saturated, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and trans fatty acids. Their number defines the possible benefit or harm of different types of fat for your health.

Simply put, fats with a high content of saturated and trans fatty acids are considered harmful, while unsaturated fats are good for you. Vegetable oil (which is in a liquid form at room temperature) and products made from it contain a large number of poly-and monounsaturated fatty acids. The firmer fat is at room temperature, the higher saturated fatty acids content is.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids are very important for man. They support general body functions and improve condition of heart and blood vessels.

Fat is good for you

Vegetable oils, including sunflower, rapeseed, corn and olive oil, contain high amounts of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids and are a part of many spreads and condiments. If you use them for cooking, you will feel all beneficial effects of unsaturated fats and lower intake of saturated fatty acids.

How to enjoy fat and maintain your health?

* To limit the intake of saturated fatty acids, eat less animal fats (meat, whole milk, cheese, sour cream), as well as palm and coconut oils.

* Use low-fat dairy products, such as skim milk or low-fat cheese.

* Buy lean meat and if possible cut visible fat and skin from it.

* To reduce consumption of saturated fats, include in your diet foods containing not dairy fat, but vegetable oils.

* Instead of foods with high content of saturated fats, choose those that are enriched with polyunsaturated fatty acids. Vegetable oils and products cooked on their basis, such as spreads, mayonnaise and seasonings, as well as oily fish, including mackerel, herring, sardines and salmon, contain very little saturated and trans fatty acids.

* Limit consumption of invisible fat, such as fried foods and bakery products, comprising mainly saturated and trans fatty acids.

* If you cannot lose weight, use less fat for cooking. Do not fry food, but cook by steaming or grilling, or cooking. In this case you do not need oil.

* Buy products enriched with steroids - they are pleasant to the taste and effectively reduce cholesterol level.

If you eat right, then fats will do you good!