Information about Saturated Fats

Answer 1

It's no secret that obesity has become a major issue in the United States. For decades, physical fitness has been taught at a young age. Now, the push to eliminate unhealthy foods is going strong. Several cities and states have even placed taxes on certain foods in an effort to prevent people from eating them. One of the terms thrown around as being unhealthy is the phrase 'saturated fats.'

Chemically speaking, saturated fats are ones that do not have double bonds of carbon. The fats are saturated with hydrogen. Saturated fats are known to lose their fluid state as they cool and are also more stable in cooking. Saturated fats are common in most animal meats and a few other sources. By contrast, unsaturated fat is found in things like olive oil, nuts, and fish. Saturated fats have been found to spike levels in cholesterol and triglycerides. These levels can lead to major health problems including heart failure. Saturated fat has also been linked with coronary artery disease, stroke, and even cancer.

Fat is a key part of a diet, but dieticians recommend limiting your intake of saturated fat. The American Heart Association suggests that saturated fat should be no more than 7% of your daily calorie intake. The suggestion to replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats has some merit. Unsaturated fat can raise your 'good cholesterol' while lowering your 'bad cholesterol.' Since bad cholesterol is a key factor in developing Heart disease, adding unsaturated fats to your diet are essential. One important thing to remember is to monitor protein. If you limit saturated fats by cutting down on animal meat, you are also limiting your protein intake. Nuts and fish also have protein, but in smaller amounts. Reputable bodies including the World Health Organization and the Food and Drug Administration have released detailed recommendations about the benefits of unsaturated fats over saturated fats.

While saturated fats are known to increase cholesterol, there are other contributing factors as well. While cutting down on saturated fats is a good first step toward better health, it is not the only thing you should do. Carbohydrates also elevate cholesterol. Sugars will raise your levels and since they don't fill you up, you are prone to eat a lot. The key is to balance your diet. Fat is key to your health and you cannot eliminate it entirely. Check nutrition labels so that you can monitor your saturated fats. As long as you don't overdo it, you can enjoy foods with saturated fats while still maintaining a healthy diet.