The body needs fat, pure and simple. Without fat, the body would have no concentrated energy source and would have to rely solely on sugar and carbohydrates. It is necessary to understand the role fats play in the body and how much is needed for proper body maintenance.
Function
Fats play an important role in the normal brain development of infants and children, and it in these early years of the lifespan that fat is crucial to the diet. Throughout the balance of life, fat provides growth support and energy. In fact, fat is the most concentrated source of energy at the body's disposal. Care must be taken, however, as after the toddler years have passed, the body needs only a small amount of fat to thrive.
Types
Fatty acids are the 'building blocks' of fats, and there are three major types: saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated. These types are differentiated by the number of hydrogen molecules found on the chemical chain. The more concentrated the fat, the more hydrogen molecules there are.
Features
Saturated fats acids are found mostly in animal products. If you can remember saturated equals blood, you can remember that saturated fats come from living things. Diary foods, beef, veal, lamb and port are all composed of saturated fats. Certain non-animal oils are also composed of saturated fats: coconut, palm kernel and shortening. As saturated fat significantly raises cholesterol, it is best to keep these fats to a minimum in the diet. A healthy adult should have no more than 10 grams of saturated fat a day.
Polyunsaturated fats are found mostly in sunflower, corn, safflower and soybean oils. These are oils that are liquid at room temperature. Some fish oils are also high in polyunsaturated fats. Polyunsaturated fats, unlike saturated fats, can reduce cholesterol in the bloodstream, however, they can also reduce the levels of the "good" cholesterol, the high-density lipoproteins, or HDLs. Polyunsaturated fats are also high in calorie density and for this reason should be limited in the diet to no more than 10 grams per day.
Monounsaturated fats are found mainly in vegetable and nuts oils. Again, these oils are liquid at room temperature: peanut, olive and canola. Although these fats also reduce blood cholesterol levels of the low-density lipoproteins (LDLs), without affecting HDLs, the effect on LDLs is minimal. These fats should also be limited to no more than 10 to 15 grams per day in the diet.
Trans fats are the last category of fatty acids. Trans fats are actually modified polyunsaturated fats through the addition of hydrogen molecules which stabilize polyunsaturated fats at room temperature. Margarine, shortening and peanut butter are the most common trans fats sources in the diet. Trans fats raise LDL cholesterol (the bad one) and lower the good cholesterol, HDL.
Considerations
Low-fat diets typically do not work as many are extreme in their deprivation of fats. Fats are needed for body maintenance and manifest themselves in soft skin, shiny hair, lubrication of joints and brain functioning. Although the body also needs sugar for quick energy bursts such as our response to danger, fats are burned continuously for everyday, long-term functioning.
Fats are needed for the body to create hormones and to keep your endocrine system functioning.
Expert Insight
If your goal is to lower your total cholesterol or lose weight, it is best to concentrate on lowering saturated fat intake and keep polyunsaturated and monounsaturated as your prime sources of fat in the body.
Saturated fats should be kept to a minimum as should trans fats: consumption of both contribute to increased risk for obesity and coronary heart disease.
After reaching your goals, daily maintenance of no more than 20 to 25 percent of caloric intake as fat should keep those cholesterol and weight levels in check.
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