What’s the skinny on fat?

It seems that fat is fat, right? Fat….unhealthy, clog your arteries and makes you feel sluggish. But that's unhealthy fat……what about healthy fat? Does it really make any difference the type of fat you consume? Of course it does……read on to discover the "skinny" between the two.

All fats contain and/or appear as:

*Organic compounds of oxygen, hydrogen and carbon

*Linoleic and linolenic acids that cannot be reproduced in the body

*Either liquids or solids

Unhealthy fats are broken down into three categories: Saturated, trans and hydrogenated/unhydrogenated fats

Saturated fats are produced through animal products (milk, cheese, meats, etc.) and certain cooking oils (mostly vegetable, palm and coconut), raising our LDL (the bad cholesterol).

Trans fats form when vegetable oils harden, lowering our HDL (the good cholesterol) while raising LDL and are mostly found in fried processed foods and margarine.

Hydrogenated and unhydrogenated fats form or partially form when Trans fats harden (i.e. butter) and should be avoided because of their negative effect on our heart.

But good news is on the way……there are healthy choices when it comes to choosing fat:

*Monounsaturated fats appear in mostly "liquid" form and turn somewhat solid when chilled (i.e. olive, canola and flax oil, etc.). They can also be found in nuts and seeds.

*Polyunsaturated fats appear in similar monounsaturated food (i.e. fish, almonds/walnuts, oils, nuts and seeds).

*Both mono and polyunsaturated fats derive from some animal and plant products and are known to help lower LDL cholesterol while assisting in maintaining our good HDL levels.

All fats assist (to some degree):

*In controlling inflammation, blood clotting and brain development

So how do you choose between healthy and unhealthy fats? First, ask yourself a few simple questions:

*Where did it come from and how was it made (i.e. saturated or unsaturated source)?

*Is it solid/does it form as a solid when used or produced into its final state (i.e. butter/margarine)?

*Is it used to fry food (i.e. donuts, french fries, etc.)?

*Does it elevate or lower our LDL (bad cholesterol)?

Because many food products contain some saturated fats it's important to remember to keep your saturated fat consumption to less than 10% of your total daily caloric intake.

And that's the skinny on fat……learning the difference between the two will make all the difference in your wellness.

Quick tip for today: Good fat is good for the body.