There is ongoing controversy raging over fats and their contribution to heart health, with an almost continuous release of conflicting studies to further confuse the issue. As the debate rages on, it is wise to have a basic understanding of the various fats, the terminology, and the links to cardiovascular health and disease.
Infants have a high need for fats for brain development, but quickly the body’s need for fats drops well below what the typical American consumes in a day. Remember the fat-free diets? Those were almost as unhealthy as overeating fats. Our bodies need fat for energy and tissue repair, but an excess of certain fats may lead to cholesterol buildup, weight gain, and stress on the heart.
All fats are made up of fatty acid building blocks. There are three categories of fats based on their chemical makeup, and each has a different composition and role to play inside the body. The basic categories are unsaturated, polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated.
Saturated fats are primarily those found in animal based foods including milk and milk products. The marbling in beef, a stick of butter, and the yellowish layer under chicken skin is saturated fat. These fats are processed by the liver to make cholesterol. Eating an abundance of saturated fat can increase blood cholesterol levels to unhealthy amounts. It is recommended for heart health to keep dietary saturated fats at less than 10% of your daily calorie intake.
Polyunsaturated fats are found in oils from plants; sunflower oil, corn oil, and safflower oils are all examples. Unlike the animal-based fats, these actually lower blood cholesterol levels. The catch is they lower both the “good” or HDL and the “bad” or LDL cholesterol so dietary recommendations are no more than 10% of your diet.
Finally there are the monounsaturated fats. Also from plants, they are found primarily in olive oil and nut oils. These fats are now the most recommended due to their ability to lower “bad” cholesterol but not affect “good” cholesterol. It is generally accepted that high levels of “bad” cholesterol can lead to plaque buildup in the blood vessels, atherosclerosis, heart attack or stroke. Recommendations are for this fat to make up 10-15% of daily calories.
The fat we have heard the most about recently is trans-fat. This is not a natural fat, but one that is produced by hydrogenating polyunsaturated oils in order to extend their shelf life. It is the main ingredient in margarine and also found in cookies, crackers, and a host of other processed foods.
Avoid it! Because it is not a natural fat, the body doesn’t know what to do with it. Recent studies have shown it may be a contributing factor to a wide range of conditions affecting those who consume this fat.
To Your Heart’s Health
Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885
mentormonique@gmail.com
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