The Truth About Fats
What’s the first thing that you do when you go on a diet? You cut out as much fat so that you can eliminate some on your body. Before you get rid of all the fat in your diet, here are a few facts that you need to know.
All fats are not bad. In fact, a certain portion of your diet needs to consist of fat. Fatty acids are used by the body to repair and protect nerves, organs, the brain, cells and other parts of the body. These fatty acids are obtained from the foods that we eat and the oils that we choose.
It is not just the fats in foods that cause obesity. It is a combination of other diet components and getting physical activity. Restricting fats to an unhealthy level will help you hold on to more fat on your body. Yes, it has the opposite of the desired effect.
The next time that you look at the nutritional information on food boxes and bags in the grocery store, go armed with an idea of what types of fats you need and what types you can leave behind.
1. Unsaturated fats – Types of unsaturated fats that you might see mentioned are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These fats are in a liquid state at room temperature. Consider then your olive oil, canola oil and oils made from nuts and seeds like safflower, almond and sesame. Omega-3 fatty acids fall into this category. Eating salmon three times a week will give you a sufficient dose of healthy oils for cardiovascular health.
2. Saturated fats – Most of these fats come from animal sources. Eating fatty cuts of meat especially red meat increase your intake of saturated fat. These fats are solid at room temperature. Think of lard, vegetable oil and tropical oils in this category. Saturated fats increase bad cholesterol levels.
3. Trans fats – Everyone knows about these. They are partially hydrogenated fats manufactured for increased shelf life. By heating liquid oils in the presence of hydrogen, the oils become solid like margarines.
Know your fats to make healthy informed choices for yourself and your family.
And please remember to pick up your FREE copy of the special report. It is full of hints and ideas on how to lose weight in the New Year. And keep it off.
