Fats are not always harmful to the human body. Like other essential nutrients for the human body, fats are also important but everything in a huge amount will affect our body negatively.

There are two types of fats good fats and bad fats

Good fats are unsaturated fats and omega 3s are healthy for our body they boost our energy level, fight fatigue, improve our mood, and even help in weight loss.

while bad fats such as saturated fats or trans fats are responsible for our weight gain, fatigue, raise cholesterol which ultimately causes many serious cardiovascular diseases, cancer, obesity, and diabetes.HDL cholesterol is the “good” kind of cholesterol found in your blood.LDL cholesterol is the “bad” kind. The key is to keep LDL levels low and HDL high, which may protect against heart disease and stroke.

 When we hear cholesterol it always has a bad impression in our mind. We think it is not good for our body but as like other nutrients cholesterols are also important in a sufficient amount for our body, until it doesn’t become bad for the health. 

Most of the foods that contain these types of fats are solid at room temperature, such as:

• butter
• margarine
• shortening
• beef or pork fat

 Most saturated fats are animal fats. They’re found in high-fat meats and dairy products.

Saturated fat sources include:

• fatty cuts of beef, pork, and lamb
• dark chicken meat and poultry skin
• high-fat dairy foods (whole milk, butter, cheese, sour cream, ice cream)
• tropical oils (coconut oil, palm oil, cocoa butter)
• lard

Eating too much-saturated fat can increase blood cholesterol levels and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels.

Traditionally, doctors have linked higher saturated fat intakes with increased heart disease risks. This idea has been called into question more recently.

Short for “trans fatty acids,” trans fat is generated synthetically and appears in foods that contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. These are the worst fats for you. You might find trans fat in:

• fried foods (French fries, doughnuts, deep-fried fast foods)
• margarine (stick and tub)
• vegetable shortening
• baked goods (cookies, cakes, pastries)
• processed snack foods (crackers, microwave popcorn)

Like saturated fat, trans fat can raise LDL cholesterol, also known as “bad” cholesterol. Trans fat can also suppress high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels or “good” cholesterol.

Essential fatty acids- These are the fatty acids can not be synthesized. There are two types of essential fatty acids-

1. Linoleic acid (Omega 6)
2. Alpha linoleic acid 

 Linoleic and Linoleic acids are the essential fatty acids that are derived from foods containing Omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. 

Alpha Linoleic acid is a type of omega-3 fatty acid. The best source of Omega- 3 is oily fish. It can also be derived from other marine sources, such as algal oils. ALA, on the other hand, is mainly obtained from nuts and seeds.

Here are the amounts of omega-6s in 100 grams (3.5 oz) of the following foods:

• Soybean oil: 50 grams
• Corn oil: 49 grams
• Mayonnaise: 39 grams
• Walnuts: 37 grams
• Sunflower seeds: 34 grams
• Almonds: 12 grams
• Cashew nuts: 8 grams

Here are the amounts and types of omega-3s in one serving of the following foods:

• Salmon: 4.0 grams EPA and DHA
• Mackerel: 3.0 grams EPA and DHA
• Sardines: 2.2 grams EPA and DHA
• Anchovies: 1.0 grams EPA and DHA
• Chia seeds: 4.9 grams ALA
• Walnuts: 2.5 grams ALA
• Flaxseeds: 2.3 grams ALA

Anything that we consume in our diet should be healthy along with the taste.

Next time do check whether you are consuming something which is not good for your health…

References-

1. Siri-Tarino, P.W., et al., Saturated fatty acids and risk of coronary heart disease: modulation by replacement nutrients. Curr Atheroscler Rep, 2010. 12(6): p. 384-90.

2. Hu, F.B., Are refined carbohydrates worse than saturated fat? Am J Clin Nutr, 2010. 91(6): p. 1541-2.