Fats

"FAT" is a frightening word for all of us..No doubt in that but its an essential nutrient of our diet.
Does Fat make you fat???
The answer is NO..!!! Healthy fats are very much needed by our body in certain amount and doesn't make you fat!!! Aaaahhh...see that smile on your face!!!


Fats store energy, insulate us and protect our vital organs. They act as messengers, helping proteins do their jobs. They also start chemical reactions that help control growth, immune function, reproduction and other aspects of basic metabolism.Fat is required to help fat soluble vitamins work in our body.Fat transports these vital nutrients around the body.

Fat is one of the 3 nutrients (along with protein andcarbohydrates) that supply calories to the body.

Saturated fat : These are the biggest dietary cause of high LDL levels ("bad cholesterol")

These types of fat raise cholestrol levels and increase your risk of many chronic diseases, such as heart disease,stroke and certain cancers. 

Saturated fats are solid at room temperature and are found mainly in the following animal and dairy products:

• meat
• butter
• cream
• cheese
• eggs
• lard
• full fat milk
• suet and dripping
• full fat yoghurt.
• Oils- palm, coconut, palm kernel oil

Saturated fats are also found in hard margarines that are formed by the 'hydrogenation' of vegetable oils.

 Trans fatty acids are found in fried foods, commercial baked goods (donuts,cakes, cookies, crackers), processed foods, and margarine.These fats can raise LDL levels.

Unsaturated fat : Fats that help to lower blood cholesterol if used in place of saturated fats.

 It doesn't mean you can have them as much you want..limited is allowed.Most (but not all) liquid vegetable oils are unsaturated. (The exceptions include coconut, palm, and palm kernel oils.)

 They are important for controlling inflammation, blood clotting, and brain development.


Unsaturated fats are generally liquid at room temperature.Good sources of unsaturated fats include:

•    avocados (one quarter of an avocado contains 5g of unsaturated fat)
•    unsalted nuts (cashew, brazil, pecan, walnut)
•    seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, sesame).

 Omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids play an important role in the functions of the body that promote health and wellbeing.

In particular, studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids protect against heart disease. Oily fish is the best source of omega-3. While oily fish is the best source of essential fatty acids, other omega-rich foods are:

• corn oil
• flaxseed oil
• nut oil
• safflower oil
• sunflower oil
• virgin olive oil.

* Pay close attention to food labels and avoid food with high saturated fat.


* Saturated fat should be limited to 10% of calories.


* Fat provides 9 calories per gram, more than twice the number provided by carbohydrates    

  or protein.

* Unsaturated fats contain essential fatty acids that cannot be manufactured by the body.      

    This means you need to get them from food.

*  Current advice is to eat oily fish two to three times a week.

*  A diet high in saturated fat causes a soft, waxy substance called cholesterol to build up in the arteries. 

 * Reducing daily fat intake is not a guarantee against developing cancer or heart disease, but it does help reduce the risk factors.

* Children under age 2 should NOT be on a fat-restricted diet because cholesterol and fat are thought to be important nutrients for brain development.


* We also need fat for hormone metabolism, healthy skin and hair, tissue repair, protecting the internal organs and to prevent excessive loss of body heat.


* Hydrogenation increases the shelf-life of food, but it also creates trans fats (trans-fatty acids) that are harmful for health.


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