The term “fat” has a bad reputation. Yes, you probably wouldn’t want anyone to describe you as it. You probably also try to avoid consuming it in your diet in order to control your weight and so forth. However, did you know that there are actually bad and good types of fat when it comes to your diet? Yes, you read that right. Some kinds of fat can indeed benefit your health. Read on to learn more about some of the different types of dietary fat.
Let’s go over the different bad kinds first. The two types in this category are known as saturated fat and trans fat. One of the main reasons they are not good for your health is because they can be harmful to your cholesterol levels. Additionally, they can cause you to gain weight and develop a variety of diseases, such as heart disease. Some of the most common sources of saturated fat are lard, palm oil, ice cream, butter, cheese, cream, whole milk, egg, chicken skin, pork, beef, and lamb. As for trans fat, these are some of the most common offenders: candy, vegetable shortening, cookies, cakes, margarine, and fried foods.
Now let’s talk about the good guys when it comes to dietary fat. Like bad fat, there are two different types. They are known as polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat. Unlike the bad kinds, these are actually beneficial for your heart, cholesterol, weight and general health. To elaborate on how they affect your weight, the truth is that they don’t cause you to gain weight. Believe it or not, the fact is that they actually promote a healthy weight! Here are some of the best sources of polyunsaturated fat: soy, salmon, trout, tuna, flaxseed, sunflower seeds, walnuts, and corn oil. As for monounsaturated fats, these are some pretty common sources: peanuts, pecans, almonds, olives, sesame oil, avocados, and canola oil.
Unfortunately, many foods and drinks out there contain the unhealthy fat types mentioned. Fortunately, it is easy for you to lessen your intake of them in your diet. Simply make a habit of checking the nutritional labels and ingredients on products before you buy them. Additionally, this is a good way for you to find foods to buy that contain the healthy fat types stated.
If you are like the typical person, you should restrict saturated fat intake to fewer than approximately 10% of total calories. Your trans fat consumption should be restricted even more at about 1% of all calories. When it comes to the other two healthy types of fat, you should try to make sure that around 10-25% of calories come from them.
As you now know, cutting back on dietary fat in general does not necessarily promote weight loss. The important thing to remember is that not all fat is equal in terms of your diet! Just be sure to limit the bad types and make sure that you are getting enough of the good kinds.
What are some of your favorite foods that contain healthy fat?
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