Why are trans fats harmful, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats beneficial, and saturated fats somewhere in the middle? Fat was a four-letter term for many years. We were advised to avoid it as much as possible in our diets. We began eating low-fat meals. However, the change did not make us healthier, most likely because we reduced our intake of both beneficial and toxic fats.
You may be wondering if fat is unhealthy for you, yet your body need some fat from food.
Is fat essential?
It is a significant source of energy. It aids in the absorption of certain vitamins and minerals. Fat is required to construct cell membranes, the crucial exterior of each cell, as well as the sheaths that wrap neurons. It is required for blood clotting, muscular contraction, and inflammation. Some fats are healthier than others for long-term health. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are examples of healthy fats. Trans fats manufactured in factories are among the worst. Saturated fats are at the center of the spectrum.
Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are beneficial.
Good fats are mostly found in vegetables, nuts, seeds, and seafood. They vary from saturated fats in that their carbon chains have fewer hydrogen atoms bound to them. At normal temperature, healthy fats are liquid, not solid. Beneficial fats are classified into two types: monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats.
Fats that are monounsaturated. When you dip bread in olive oil at an Italian restaurant, you are consuming mostly monounsaturated fat. A single carbon-to-carbon double bond characterizes monounsaturated lipids. As a result, it has two less hydrogen atoms than a saturated fat and a double bond bend. At normal temperature, this structure keeps monounsaturated fats liquid. Hence this reduces the risk of atherosclerosis.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids
When you pour liquid cooking oil into a skillet, you’re probably utilising polyunsaturated fat. Common examples are corn oil, sunflower oil, and safflower oil. Polyunsaturated fats are a kind of important fat. That is, they are essential for regular bodily processes but cannot be produced by your body. As a result, you must obtain them from eating. Polyunsaturated fats are utilised to construct cell membranes and nerve coverings. They are required for blood clotting, muscular contraction, and inflammation.
Dietary sources of good fats
Olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, avocados, and most nuts are high in monounsaturated fats, as are high-oleic safflower and sunflower oils.
The Seven Countries Study, conducted in the 1960s, discovered that monounsaturated fat might be beneficial to health. It indicated that people in Greece and other Mediterranean countries have a low risk of heart disease while eating a high-fat diet. However, the predominant fat in their diet was not the saturated animal fat found in nations with higher incidence of heart disease. It was olive oil, which is mostly made up of monounsaturated fat. This discovery sparked a surge of interest in olive oil and the “Mediterranean diet,” a way of eating that is now viewed as a healthy option.
Final thought
Although its imperative to consume fats. Two other major studies narrowed the prescription slightly, concluding that replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated fats like vegetable oils or high-fiber carbohydrates is the best bet for reducing the risk of heart disease, but replacing saturated fat with highly processed carbohydrates could do the opposite.
