fats

SUMMARY OF FATS
THE GOOD, THE BAD THE UGLY


OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS: REDUCE THE RISK OF HEART ATTACK-CAUSING BLOOD CLOTS. THEY ARE FOUND IN ALL FISH BUT PARTICULARLY IN FATTY FISH SUCH AS MACKEREL,SALMON, SARDINES AND HERRING. THEY ARE ALSO IN GREEN LEAFY VEGTABLES, NUTS, CANOLA OIL, SOYBEAN OIL AND TOFU.

MONOUNSATURATED FATS: ARE FOUND MOSTLY IN PLANT AND SEA FOODS, AND IN OILS SUCH AS OLIVE, PEANUT AND CANOLA OILS, AS WELL AS AVOCADOS, NUTS AND OLIVES. THEY TEND TO LOWER THE LDL AND RAISE THE HDL IN THE BLOOD

PLOYUNSATURATED FATS: ARE FOUND PRIMARILY IN PLANT AND SEA FOODS, AND IN OILS SUCH AS SAFFLOWER, SOYBEAN AND CORN OILS. THEY TEND TO LOWER LEVELS OF BOTH HDL AND LDL CHOLESTEROL IN THE BLOOD.

TRANS FATS: ARE POLYUNSUTRATED FATS THAT HAVE BEEN HYDROGENETED. THEY ARE SOLID AT ROOM TEMPERATURE WHICH MAKES THEM EASIER TO COOK WITH. HYDROGENATED VEGTABLE SHORTENING AND MOST MARGARINES CONTAIN TRANS FATS

HYDROGENATED FATS: ARE CHEMICALLY ALTERED BY ADDING HYDROGEN ATOMS TO THE HYDROGEN-CARBON MOLECULES THAT MAKE UP FATTY ACIDS. THEY CONTAIN SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNTS OF TRANS FATS AND ARE USED IN COMMERCIALYL PREPARED BAKED GOODS AND FRIED FOODS

SATURATED FATS: ARE FOUND MAINLY IN ANIMAL PRODUCTS SUCH AS MEAT AND HIGH FAT DAIRY PRODUCTS. THEY TEND TO RAISE BLOOD LEVELS OF LDL

TROPICAL OILS: SUCH AS COCONUT, PALM AND PALM KERNEL OILS ARE HIGHLY SATURATED FATS.. THEY ARE OFTEN USED IN COMMERCIALLY PREPARED FOODS.

TIPS:
1. AVOID BAKED FOODS AND LOOK FOR THE WORD HYDROGENATED IN THE INGREDIENT LIST OF THE PRODUCTS YOU EAT SUCH AS CRACKERS, CEREALS, MARGARINE, MUFFINS, ETC. THIS INFORMATION IS NOT LISTED ON THE FOOD LABEL IT IS IN THE INGREDIENTS.
2. CHECK THE FATS THAT YOU USE (MAYONNAISE, SALAD DRESSING, COOKING OILS) TO SEE IF THEY ARE MADE WITH THE MONOUNSATURATED FATS TO IMPROVE YOUR BLOOD LIPID PROFILE
3. ALL MARGARINES THAT ARE A SOLID AT ROOM TEMPERATURE CONTAIN HYDROGENATED OILS WHICH ACT IN YOUR BODY AS BAD OR WORSE THAN SATURATED FAT. BUTTER IS A SATURATED FAT. WHEN CHOOSING WHICH ONE TO USE, CHECK WHICH ONE AHS THE LEAST AMOUNT OF FAT AND USE SMALL AMOUNTS OF IT
4. SHELL FISH IS THOUGHT TO BE HIGH IN CHOLESTEROL. IT ACTUALLY CONTAINS PHYTO-STEROL (PLANT CHOLESTEROL) AND DOES NOT HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON YOUR CHOLESTEROL LEVELS. SHELL FISH ALSO IS VERY LOW IN SATURATED FAT, SOME CAN EVEN BE LOWER THEN CHICKEN.
5. AVOID FATS THAT HAVE BEEN HEATED TO VERY HIGH TEMPERATURES SUCH AS RASTED NUTS (PURCHASE THEM RAW) FRIED FOODS, BURNT OILS.