All About Fats
Did You Know?
- Some fats are good for you. Many times when people hear “fat” they think of obesity or extra pounds. Believe it or not, there are fats that are essential to your body’s chemistry, working hard and keeping you fit in your brain, nerves, joints, hormones and internal organs.
- Fats assist in keeping your blood sugar levels stable.
- Fats from unprocessed foods help you feel full. This feeling is called satiety.
However…
- There are “good” fats (unsaturated) and “bad” fats (saturated). Trans fats? Don’t even go near them! If it says “trans” walk away.
- Saturated fats usually come from animals and are solid at room temperature. They are difficult for the body to metabolize (break down into useful parts) and can be easily stored as body fat.
- Numerous well-known studies have shown that too much saturated fat can increase your risk of elevated cholesterol levels and heart disease.
- Unsaturated fats come from fish oil, canola oil, olive oil and other vegetable oils.
- These fats stay liquid at room temperature and are easier for the body to break down and use.
- Unsaturated fats are beneficial for heart health, do not raise cholesterol and do not contribute to plaque formation in the blood vessels.