Generally, all sliming programs and diets exclude many foods, among which, on top places, there is always “fat”. How, than, can it be possible for doctors to recommend fat intake?
In order to understand this, we need to make the difference between “good” and “bad” fats in our food.
The bad fats, the ones that we are strongly suggested to avoid, are the trans-fats. Trans fat is the common name for unsaturated fat with trans-isomer (E-isomer) fatty acid (s). Because the term refers to the configuration of a double carbon-carbon bond, trans fats are sometimes monounsaturated or polyunsaturated, but never saturated.
Trans fat is made by adding hydrogen to vegetable oil through a process called hydrogenation, which makes the oil less likely to spoil. The purpose of using trans fats in the manufacturing of foods is for foods to stay fresh longer, to have a longer shelf life and to have a less greasy feel.
The addition of hydrogen to oil increases your cholesterol more than do other types of fats. It is thought that adding hydrogen to oil makes the oil more difficult to digest, and your body recognizes trans fats as saturated fats.
What is the food containing trans fats so that we know what to avoid?
They can be found in commercial baked and fried food like : crackers, cookies, cakes, french fries, burgers, doughnuts. In order to choose foods without these fats when you go to the grocery stores, you have to read the labels very carefully and check if the term “(partially) hydrogenated” vegetable oil.
Why should we avoid these trans fats?
Besides affecting our waistline, recent studies show that their effects can be even stronger and wider spread on the body and mind. People have the tendency to eat foods with trans-fats because these make them happy. However, this effect is just an illusion because it passes very quickly and instead you will feel an increased depression.
According to the results of some of the studies, life quality and consuming trans fats are linked and the latter influences life quality scores. The people who participated in the studies and had a diet based mostly on these negative fats showed a negative attitude towards life, future, work, social activities, the evolution of their health.
The good fats. The generally accepted facts are that our body needs fats because they help nutrients absorption, nerve transmission, maintaining cell membrane integrity and other processes of the metabolism. The difficulty appears when choosing the fats that are really beneficial to us from the harmful ones.
Which are the good fats?
Monounsaturated fats lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) while increasing HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol). Nuts including peanuts, walnuts, almonds and pistachios, avocado, canola and olive oil are high in monounsaturated fats. They have also been found to help in weight loss, particularly body fat.
Polyunsaturated fats also lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. Seafood like salmon and fish oil, as well as corn, soy, safflower and sunflower oils are high in polyunsaturated fats. Omega 3 fatty acids belong to this group, as well, and they are very famous for the good impact that they have on health.
Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in foods including walnuts, some fruits and vegetables, and coldwater fish such as herring, mackerel, sturgeon, and anchovies.
Why do doctors insist on us including Omega 3 fats in our diets?
Here you have a few of the benefits of these fatty acids on your body : reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke while helping to reduce symptoms of hypertension, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), joint pain and other rheumatoid problems, as well as certain skin ailments. Even more, according to some studies, omega-3s can boost the immune system and help protect us from an array of illnesses including Alzheimer’s disease.
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