All Fats Were No Created Equal

By Author: Eustacie Echarles
Total Articles: 1
Comment this article

Convinced you're overweight? You could resort to fad diets for help, but that's when you've settled for a tempory weight-loss solution because the weight will return with a vengeance immeidately coming off your starvation diet.

To maintain an effective weight-loss management, you limit fat, reduce calories and amp up your physical activity. Different types of fats affects your body differently. Which ones deliver the health benefits you need?

Is it trans fat, saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, monounsaturated fat, or the misunderstood cholesterol?

Do you know?

As you embark on a weight management quest, limiting fats in your diet is a sensible move, which also result in limiting total calorie intake.

But that's not all.

Limiting fats in your diet prevents the rise of high blood cholesterol, a risk factor for coronary heart disease.

The Right Fats for Me

What do you really know about the fats you consume every day, I mean how they were made?

One, or two, on the list were made by nature, but the others? Man made.

Let's take trans fat. Do you know enough about ...
... this fat to defend your choice for eating it?

If you do a little research on this fat, you'd discover that trans fat was created.

"Trans fat is made when manufacturers add hydrogen to vegetable oil--a process called hydrogenation. Hydrogenation increases the shelf life and flavor stability of foods containing these fats."

What's the problem, you may ask? Partially-hydrogenated oils contain trans fats, and these fats will "increase low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and decrease high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol — risk factors for heart disease."

That's the problem. It's a heart-safety issue and it's a calorie-increase issue with this type of fats. You lose weight by cutting calories, not increasing it by eating more fat.

What About Saturated Fats?

If trans fats will create heart problems for me, will saturated fats have a different affects on my heart?

Good question.

Let's step back a bit to the creation of saturated fat source. How is this fat made?

Nature makes saturated fats: the primary source is animal fats, and the secondary sources are in palm oil, coconut oils, and cocoa butter.

You may consume one product on the above list and think your consumption of saturated fats is limited to it. However, you may be interested to know about the other sources for saturated fat, and that you may be consuming them, as well.

Other sources for saturated fat include cheese, whole-fat milk and cream, butter, ice cream and its by-products, cookies, commercially-prepared foods, such as cookies, cakes, doughnuts, and pies.

The government recommends that you consume ". . . less than 10% of daily calories as saturated fat."

That's a reasonable recommendation, although it's impractical to completely eliminating saturated fats from your diet. Certainly, limiting, or substituting, some of the products containing saturated fat is a wise nutritional move.

Let's look at the other fats, such as polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats.

The Other Types of Fats

The other types of fats recommended by health experts, doctors and the government deliver the fatty acids your body needs. Nature makes these essential fatty acids for you to maintain your health.

However, all fats contain calories, but polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are not link to the risk of coronary heart disease, or raising high blood cholesterol.

Polyunsaturated fats can also be broken down into two types:

Omega-6 polyunsaturated fats — these fats provide an essential fatty acid that our bodies need, but can't make.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fats — these fats also provide an essential fatty acid that our bodies need. In addition, omega-3 fatty acids, particularly from fish sources, may have potential health benefits.

Which fats should you choose to maintain your health?

Reducing Fats to Manage Weight-loss

"One reason to limit total fat intake is to reduce total calories for weight management. Another reason to limit fat, especially saturated fat, is to reduce or prevent high blood cholesterol, which is a major risk factor for heart disease."

And total calorie intake is achievable. For you and your family, the numbers below show total percentage calorie intake for children and adults:

1. Children ages 2 to 3-- 30% to 35% of total calories

2. Children and adolescents ages 4 to 18-- 25% to 35% of total calories

3. Adults, ages 19 and older--20% to 35% of total calories

The best way to decrease your calorie intake is to reduce trans and saturated fat, substituting them for polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats.

Reducing Trans and Saturated Fats to Lose Weight

To drastically reduce trans and saturated fats,

1. increase your food knowledge. One way to to that is to read the nutrition fact panel on food packages.

2. Look for the Trans fat listing on the Nutrition Facts label.

3. Compare brands and choose the one lowest in trans fat.

4. Choose a soft margarine spread instead of stick margarine. Check your labels to be sure the soft margarine does contain less trans fat. If possible, find one that says zero grams of trans fat.

5. Choose leaner cuts of meat that do not have a marbled appearance (where the fat appears embedded in the meat). Leaner cuts include round cuts and sirloin cuts. Trim all visible fat off meats before eating.

6. Remove the skin from chicken, turkey, and other poultry before cooking.

7. When re-heating soups or stews, skim the solid fats from the top before heating.

8. Drink low-fat (1%) or fat-free (skim) milk rather than whole or 2% milk.

9. Buy low-fat or non-fat versions of your favorite cheeses and other milk or dairy products.

10. When you want a sweet treat, reach for a low-fat or fat-free version of your favorite ice cream or frozen dessert. These versions usually contain less saturated fat.

11. Use low-fat spreads instead of butter. Most margarine spreads contain less saturated fat than butter. Look for a spread that is low in saturated fat and doesn't contain trans fats.

12. Choose baked goods, breads, and desserts that are low in saturated fat. You can find this information on the Nutrition Facts label.

13. Pay attention at snack time. Some convenience snacks such as sandwich crackers contain saturated fat. Choose instead to have non-fat or low-fat yogurt and a piece of fruit.

Choose products with ". . . the fewest grams of trans fat and the fewest grams of saturated fat and dietary cholesterol. If possible, find one that says zero grams of trans fat."

The Ball in Your Court

As your concern relates to saturated fat and cholesterol recommended Daily Value, ". . . remember that 5 percent is low and 20 percent is high."

In addition, read the nutrition fact panel to reduce calories, and choose products with "light," a word indicating the product contains ". . . fewer calories and can help you stay within your calorie goals."

It's best to keep your total fat intake between 20 and 35% of your total calories each day.

Finally, cook exclusively with liquid oils, and eliminate solid fat from cooking.

Eat nuts as snack. Nuts and seeds have as much protein as meat. While you're modifying your fat intake, increase your physical activity. Then watch your weight plumet.

Lives in Georgia

For more information on his writings, please click on the link below:

http://www.burnfatloseweightnaturally.com