It is quite impossible to totally eliminate fats from our diet because most foods have some type of fat content. There is no need to completely avoid fat from your diet. In fact some fats are needed by the body for its nutritional value and these are considered the healthy kinds of fats. Therefore it’s best to learn about the different kinds of fats and choose wisely. Enjoy some healthy fat in your diet in moderation and have a good meal plan for better weight management.

Monounsaturated Fat: The Heart Healthy Fat

This healthy fat is found in different food sources and healthy oils. In some medical studies, it showed that consuming foods that are rich in monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) can drastically help in reducing bad cholesterol levels in the blood while maintaining a good cholesterol balance which can decrease acquiring heart disease and can prevent stroke. This type of fat is also a good source of nutrients that can maintain and improve normal body cells. It is also very beneficial for those who are suffering from type 2 diabetes by maintaining a good insulin level and can manage blood sugar. Good sources of MUFAs are fats found in olive oil, olives, sesame oil, sunflower oil as well as oils from seeds and nuts.

Polyunsaturated Fat: The Blood Pressure and Blood Sugar Stabilizer

The polyunsaturated fats or PUFA’s are mostly plant based foods and healthy oils. There is significant evidence that shows that consuming this type of healthy oil can greatly improve the blood cholesterol levels which can lower the incidence of getting a heart disease. Polyunsaturated fats can also help decrease the development of type 2 diabetes.

Saturated Fat: The Controversial Fat

There are certain controversies about saturated fats in what’s commonly known before, that saturated fats which are triglycerides are associated with heart disease but through recent findings saturated fats can also be good within certain limitations. Saturated fats are normally solid at room temperature. They are very stable that makes them an ideal food ingredient that does not easily turn rancid. Common food sources of saturated fats are fats from animal meats and the good saturated oils can be found in some plant based sources such as avocados, coconuts and palm.

Saturated fats from animal sources can elevate cholesterol levels in the blood which can put anyone at risk in developing a heart disease and would also trigger the onset of stroke. It is smart to learn that many foods with high saturated fat content are also high in cholesterol content which can directly increase the blood cholesterol level in the body.

Trans Fats: Risk Factor in Heart Disease

Commercial production of processed foods had led to the creation of trans fats or trans fatty acids. In this process hydrogen is added to liquid vegetable oils to solidify it. Trans fat is also known as partially hydrogenated oils which are commonly used in processed foods for its longer life and for cost efficiency. Many fast food restaurants and food manufacturers resulted in using trans fats because it can give foods a more desirable taste and good texture.

Trans fats can raise bad cholesterol or LDL while lowering the good one or HDL cholesterol levels which can ultimately lead to the development of heart disease and stroke. It could also increase the risk of acquiring type 2 diabetes.