Most people probably think that the best way to stay healthy or lose weight would be cut down on the amount of fat you take into your body. Although this might sound reasonable, it is actually not the case.
There are good fats that your body cannot produce on its own, so they must come from the food that you eat. There are also bad fats which will do harm to your body and increase the risk of the body developing a certain disease. With all of that being said, the 3 main groups of fats are saturated, unsaturated, and trans fat. In this article, we will be focusing on the “good” types of fats.
Unsaturated Fats – The “Good” Fats
Unsaturated fats are most commonly found in vegetables, nuts, seeds, and fish. These fats are essential for good health as they help to build cell membranes and the sheaths surrounding nerves. Appropriate intake amounts fo these unsaturated fats will help to reduce cholesterol levels and risks of heart disease.
The two types of unsaturated fats are polyunsaturated and monosaturated fats.
Polyunsaturated Fats
Found in mostly vegetable oil, this kind of fat is known to contain a specific kind of fatty acid called: omega-3 fatty acid. The omega-3 fatty acid can be found in fish such as salmon, catfish, and mackerel.
Why consume these polyunsaturated fats?
What’s good about this fat is that it can help decrease the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, which is a condition where blood vessels are blocked and can lead to chest pains or a heart attack.
Monounsaturated Fats
Monounsaturated fats can be found specifically in olive oil. This was first discovered when a trend was established between the low records of heart disease and the fact that people in Mediterranean countries consume a large amount of olive oil on an almost daily basis.
Learn more at:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-truth-about-fats-bad-and-good
https://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/features/skinny-fat-good-fats-bad-fats
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fat/art-20045550
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