Facts on Fats

While mentioning fat, one might think that it is something bad for our health. However, this is not entirely true. Let’s be clear: we need fat in our diet. As the most concentrated source of calories (nine calories per gram of fat compared with four calories per gram for protein and carbohydrates), it helps supply energy. Fat provides linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid for growth, healthy skin and metabolism. It also helps absorb fat-soluble vitamins (A,D,E and K). And, face it, fat adds flavor and is satisfying, making us feel fuller, keeping hunger at bay. All fats provide the same amount of calories but some are more harmful than the others:

1. Saturated fats - derived from animal products such as meat, dairy and eggs. They are also found in some plant-based sources such as coconut, palm and palm kernel oils. These fats are solid at room temperature. Saturated fats clog our arteries and directly raise total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels

2. Trans Fats or Hydrogenated Fats - unsaturated fats, but they can raise total and LDL cholesterol levels while also lowering HDL (good) cholesterol levels. Trans fats are used to extend the shelf life of processed foods, typically cookies, cakes, fries and donuts. Any item that contains “hydrogenated oil” or “partially hydrogenated oil” likely contains trans fats

3. Unsaturated fats - Monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats are the two types of unsaturated fatty acids, which are derived from vegetables and plants. Both fats are liquid at room temperature but begin to solidify at cold temperatures:

3.1 Monounsaturated fats - This type of fat is preferable to other types of fat and can be found in olives, olive oil, nuts, peanut oil, canola oil and avocados. Some studies have shown that these kinds of fats can actually lower LDL cholesterol and maintain HDL cholesterol

3.2 Polyunsaturated fats - These are found in safflower, sesame, corn, cottonseed and soybean oils. This type of fat has also been shown to reduce levels of LDL cholesterol, but too much can also lower your HDL cholesterol

4. Omega-3 fatty acids - they are “essential” fatty acid, which means it's critical for our health but cannot be manufactured by our bodies. Good sources of omega-3 fatty acids include cold-water fish, flax seed, soy, and walnuts. These fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and also boost our immune systems

The best way to get to know the kind of fats before consumption is through the Foods Label. Read the food labels carefully and choose your fats wisely! This will prevent you from taking in the unhealthy fats.