Low fat diet plans are a good thing IF you're presently eating too much fat. But remember, we need fat. It's an essential part of everybody's diet, providing fuel and essential nutrients. What you can do is take a long hard look at the types of fat you're eating and make some changes there that will help your health.
Sausages. Burgers. Bacon. I love them all. But I don't eat them every day, because they're full of saturated fat. If these items sound like your staple diet, then some changes might be in order. For a start, you might try grilling them instead of frying them. That lets you see how much fat drips out of them when they're cooked -- fat you would have eaten otherwise.
And do you have to eat them every day? There are alternatives: lean cuts of meat, low fat meats like chicken breast. Fish is a good source of protein, and oily fish contains Omega 3 fatty acids that are positively beneficial for your health.
There are basically four kinds of fat you should be aware of and look out for in your diet:
Monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat; these are good.
Saturated fat and trans fat; these are bad.
Monounsaturated fats are plant oils like canola oil, peanut oil, and olive oil. They are also found in avocados, nuts like hazelnuts, almonds, and pecans, and seeds like pumpkin and sesame seeds. People who eat the traditional Mediterranean diet, high in foods containing monounsaturated fats like olive oil, lower their risk of cardiovascular disease.
Polyunsaturated fats are found in sunflower, corn, soybean, and flaxseed oils, and also walnuts, flax seeds, and fish. This fat family includes the Omega-3 group of fatty acids, which are anti- inflammatory. Your body can't make them. Also, Omega-3 fats are found in very few foods.
Saturated fat come from animal products like red meat and whole milk dairy products. Other sources are tropical vegetable oils such as coconut and palm oil, and foods made with these oils. Poultry and fish contain saturated fat, but less than red meat. Saturated fat raises low-density lipoprotein (LDL or 'bad' cholesterol) that increases your risk of coronary heart disease. You don't need to eat saturated fats because your body can make all the saturated fat you need when you eat enough of the good fats.
Trans fats are made by heating liquid vegetable oils in the presence of hydrogen, a process called hydrogenation. Partially hydrogenating vegetable oils makes them more stable and less likely to spoil, which is good for food manufacturers - and bad for you. You can find trans fat in vegetable shortening, margarine, candies, biscuits, snacks, fried food, pastries, and other processed foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. Trans fat raises low-density lipoprotein (LDL or 'bad' cholesterol) that increases your risk of coronary heart disease, as well as lowering HDL, or good cholesterol.
So what can we do to protect ourselves? Eat a diet high in mono- and poly-unsaturated fats, low in saturated fats, and skip the trans fats altogether. Plus, eat foods which contain the Omega-3 group: Super Healthy Fats.
For maximum health benefits, increase your intake of healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which are necessary for body functions like controlling blood clotting and building cell membranes in the brain. Research has shown this fatty acid has a positive impact on cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, liver cancer, dementia and depression.
The best sources of Omega-3 fats are fatty fish: salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines, anchovies. Even if your diet already has its fair share of these, it's not a bad idea to add an Omega-3 supplement to your diet. I'm not a big fan of diet supplements, but making sure you've got a healthy dose of Omega-3 fats every day is a good move.
Bottom line? You need fat in your diet. If you skip it altogether, you'll deprive your body of things it needs. Current opinion suggests you get about 30% of your daily calorie intake from fats.
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