The debate between good fats vs bad fats is complex. Some say all fats are bad. Others say the opposite. But, what are unhealthy fats? Are there healthy fats?
The popular issue with fat is weight implications. Yet, the real danger is because of fat’s cholesterol implications. That’s what you’ll learn today.
Additionally, I’ll recommend a product to help you shed that extra fat.
Understanding the basics between good fats and bad fats
Fat is crucial for your diet. For instance, it’s an energy source and helps us absorb vitamins. As such, we can’t cut them from our diets. Why is this important? Because it’s the foundation for the rest of the article.
How foods and fats work
Most foods contain fat, and it’s usually a mix of fats. You’ll typically find saturated and unsaturated fats together. Thus, moving to healthy fats is mostly choosing foods with the right balance.
Saturated fats
Saturated fats are typically in dairy and red meat. You can also find them in fried and baked foods. Ideally, saturated fats shouldn’t provide more than 10% of your daily calories. That’s because they can raise your bad cholesterol levels.
Unsaturated fats
Unsaturated fats fall into two main categories:
- Monounsaturated fats are more common. You can find them in most nuts, avocados, and oils. The same goes for animal fats.
- Polyunsaturated fats are somewhat less common. You can find them in different oils, like sunflower and corn. They’re also fairly common in seeds and walnuts. Omega-3 is among the best nutrients and falls in this category.
Measuring the previous fats
Harvard has an excellent breakdown of which fats to avoid. From the previous explanation, you should know what to expect. Yet, there are still a few considerations worth pointing out.
Unsaturated fats: Generally healthy fats
Unsaturated fats are typically good for you. For instance, monounsaturated fats seem to reduce heart disease. The Mediterranean diet comes from these claims.
Likewise, polyunsaturated fats are essential fats. Your body doesn’t produce them but needs them. They’re useful against inflammation and blood clotting. They also aid muscle movement and good cholesterol.
Saturated fats: Not quite unhealthy fats but require care
The article says saturated fats are in-between. Yet, that doesn’t mean you should be careless with them. They can worsen your cholesterol profile. Yet, some studies suggest that this fat type doesn’t contribute to heart disease.
The real unhealthy fats: Trans fats
That said, trans fats are the real evil. They’re actually a type of unsaturated fat. They result from fat hydrogenation. As such, they’re typically synthetic. They cause stroke, diabetes, heart disease, and more. Moreover, they don’t have any health benefits.
Good fats vs bad fats: What to do with them?
Finally, let’s go to Healthline to condense this information. Firstly, let’s clarify weight gain. Weight comes from unburnt calories. You don’t gain weight from eating fats, but from not burning that energy.
As such, the best approach is to stick to healthy fats. Likewise, keeping a workout schedule is vital for any diet plan.
Unhealthy fats: Avoid them
Avoid saturated and trans fats. We’ll qualify those as unhealthy fats.
Now, saturated fats aren’t dangerous unless in excess. You don’t have to stop eating red meat, dairy, and tropical oils. Merely reduce your consumption.
Trans fat comes from margarine, fried foods, and processed snacks. Steer clear from these, as they lack positive nutritional values.
Healthy fats: Use them as replacement
On the other hand, don’t give up on fats altogether. You still need them. Thus, the goal is to replace the previous foods with healthy fats. They’ll help you decrease your heart disease risks. Yet, you won’t give up on fat’s benefits.
How can you add healthy fats to your diet?
Healthy fats come from plant-based products. That means foods and oils. On the other hand, fish is a great healthy fat source. As omega-3 is the best fat, look for the following:
- Salmon.
- Sardines.
- Trout.
- Canola oil.
- Walnuts.
- Flaxseed and chia seeds.
Omega-6 is also a great addition. For that, try tofu, soy, seeds, and vegetable oils.
The holistic takeaway
Fats are as vital as they can be risky. The key is understanding the difference between good fats vs. bad fats. Shedding unhealthy fats for their healthy counterparts is crucial. As usual, my tip isn’t to eliminate fat.
If you need more help, I have a recommendation. The Fat Burning Kitchen is the best nutrition guide in this case. It’s my favorite fat-burning diet because it only targets trans fats. As such, you won’t be starving your fat needs.
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