Monday, June 11, 2012

Be Wise While Choosing Fatty Diets


Earlier, all of us used to think that dietary fats are highly harmful and they cause many diseases like heart ailments, diabetes and blood pressure-related problems. A lot of research has taken place about them and it has now been found that there are good fats that can benefit our health also. Of course, bad fats and very bad fats will certainly harm our health.
Unsaturated fats are called good fats. So, instead of harming you, they will protect you from diseases like heart problems, blood pressure-related diseases, etc. There are two types of unsaturated fats and they are monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. There is absolutely no harm for your health from both these types of fats. In fact, they may benefit you by bringing down your Low Density Lipoprotein, which is bad cholesterol and increasing High Density Lipoprotein that is otherwise known as good cholesterol.
You can get Omega-3 fatty acids from polyunsaturated fats. Omega-3 fatty acids are mainly available in cold-water fish and nuts. You can get them from dark leafy greens, a few vegetable oils and flaxseed oil also. The human body can not produce one type of Omega-3 fatty acid, which is an essential acid. The only way you can get this is by consuming items that contain it. It is a proven fact that by eating Omega-3 fatty acids, you can get immense health benefits. They are said to lower blood pressure and reduce Low Density Lipoprotein. They can fight inflammation also. Further, they protect the nervous system and the brain.
Saturated fats are bad fats and these can create a havoc by causing blocks in the arteries. The main sources of these bad fats are meat and almost all the dairy products. These fats increase the Low Density Lipoprotein. It is true that they are a good source of nutrients like vitamins and minerals. Therefore, you should reduce their intake instead of completely avoiding them. The upper limit of your daily intake should not exceed seven percent.
Trans fats that are also called as hydrogenated fats are very bad fats. They are created due to a process called hydrogenation and hence, they are known as hydrogenated fats. This process converts liquid vegetable oils into solid fats. They cause severe harm to human health by increasing the Low Density Lipoprotein and lowering the High Density Lipoprotein. This means bad cholesterol increases in the body and good cholesterol decreases. These trans fats are generally available in almost all the processed foods. That is why you should avoid eating fried and deep-fried items and also processed items. They are available in processed items like cakes, doughnuts, snack foods, etc. also.
It is true that you get energy from fats. It is also true that you need fats if you want your brain and nervous system to function well. But, the fats you eat should be good fats. These good fats will protect you from the cold and give you clear skin and healthy hair also. But, you should avoid trans fats completely.
Raman Kuppuswamy writes highly informative, interesting and educative articles on various topics. He has written several articles on hubpages also. Kindly visit http://dreamdamodar.hubpages.com/ and read his other articles.