I know that a healthy diet means controlling my intake of fat, but I confuse all the different types of fat! How do I know which ones are good and which ones should I avoid?
There are different types of fats in our foods. Some can damage our health, and others are not so bad. There are even some that are good for you! This is what we need to know:
Monounsaturated fats (canola oil, olive and peanut, and avocado) and polyunsaturated fats (safflower seed, sesame and sunflower seeds, and many other nuts and seeds) do not raise your LDL ( “bad”) but may increase the level of HDL ( “good”). To stay healthy, it’s good to choose foods containing these fats.
The saturated fat, trans fat and dietary cholesterol raise blood cholesterol level of LDL ( “bad”), which can cause heart disease. Saturated fat exists mainly in foods of animal origin such as beef, veal, lamb, pork, lard, poultry fat, butter, cream, dairy foods and the cheeses, and some plants, such as tropical oils. Tropical oils include coconut oil, the seed of palm, and palm, used in commercial cakes and cookies, salty snacks and meals. Unlike other vegetable oils, these oils contain many saturated fatty acids. Some processed foods (such as frozen ready meals and canned foods) can be high in saturated fats. It is best to check package labels before purchasing these foods.
