Not all fats are considered equal. Foreverfit helps you understand the different kinds of fats, and why you should choose unsaturated PUFA fats to keep your cholesterol and blood sugar in check.
Ever wondered why there’s so much buzz around the kind of fat in foods? The answer is that not all fats are created equal. Some are considered “bad,” while others fall into the “healthy” category.
Read on, to grasp the basics about 4 kinds of fats.
#1 Saturated fats are found in ghee, cheese, butter and red meat. Basically saturated fats are solid at room temperature, while unsaturated fats are liquid.
Butter, coconut oil and ghee fall in this category, as do animal fats like lard, and foods like meat and chocolate. This group of fats is maligned, since they are associated with high cholesterol and heart disease.
#2 Monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) are found in sunflower and safflower oil, avocados and some nuts. These are healthier than saturated fats, so you can use them to cook with.
Replacing saturated fats in your diet with MUFAs helps lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. Nutritionists say that you should pick oils low in hydrogenated fats, with a higher PUFA and MUFA content.
#3 Polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) are present in flaxseed oil, seeds, fish oil, walnuts etc. These are of several kinds, of which the most important are the omega-3 and omega-6 groups.
Also referred to as “essential fatty acids,” a deficiency of PUFAs has various consequences, from heart disease to neurosis and depression.
#4 Trans Fats (TFA) are present in partially hydrogenated oils, dalda, bakery products and other packaged foods. Trans fats are considered to be the worst type of fat, since they deliver a double whammy. Apart from raising your bad cholesterol, they also lower your good cholesterol.
Tips on how to get the best from your fats
#1 Instead of increasing your overall fat intake, try to substitute saturated fats with MUFAs and PUFAs in limited amounts. For cooking, pick oils that are low in hydrogenated fats, with a higher PUFA and MUFA content.
#2 Switch to skimmed milk and low fat milk products. Eat only a teaspoon of ghee, butter and cream a day.
#3 Consume a handful (approx. 30g) of nuts and seeds every day. Make sure there is variety and eat a mix of almonds, peanuts, walnuts, flaxseeds, and Chia seeds daily.
#4 Change your cooking oil frequently. Choose from Canola, Rice bran, Sunflower, Safflower, Groundnut, Extra Virgin Olive, Sesame oil. Use cold pressed flaxseed oil in salads, salad dressings and in dishes that don’t require too much cooking.
#5 Heating oil at 180ºC, increases the amount of saturated and trans fats, and decreases the levels of unsaturated fatty acids. And that’s not all. Re-heating the same used oil leads to a drastic rise in the levels of these fats, too. So, use small amounts of fats for frying and don’t re-use the left-over oil.
#6 Cooking with olive pomace or canola oil, instead of vegetable refined cooking oils, can diminish your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
#7 Read the latest guidelines for fat consumption here, to help you understand your own needs.