 Fats should be selected using the first rule basic to a good diet, consume foods in their natural state, and not to eat excess calories, especially if aiming to lose weight, its important to remember that not all fats are bad, and you should aim to have around 15% of your daily calorie intake in the form of healthy fats, especially EFA', (Essential fatty Acids) Omega 3 Alpha Linolenic and Omega 6 Linoleic Acid.
The best sources of fat are firstly those that are natural, and secondly, those not susceptible to free radical damage through oxidation. Basically the good fats include olive oil,grapenut oil and safflower oil. Some vegetable fat oils are subject to rapid oxidation because of their molecular structure, and should be avoided.
Fats represent the most concentrated form of energy in our diet, 9 calories per gram, however this energy fuelsource is best suited for endurance based aerobic exercise - often avoided by over-weight people.
EFA's Fats are important carriers of vitamins A,D,E and K.
Very high or very low fat diets are not an effective method for weight loss in the case where there is excess body fat.
Deposits of fat help to protect body organs and provide insulation - excess levels of body fat will place body organs such as the heart under undue stress.
Fat helps to coat the nerves in a myelin sheath and protects the brain.
Fats have the lowest thermic effect of all foods - (easily stored as fat).
All fats contain a mixture of the three types of fatty acids (saturated, mono saturated and polyunsaturated) They take their name from whichever of the three occurs as the predominant fatty acid.
Saturated fats defiantly need to be avoided, usually hard at room temperature and come primarily from animals except for coconut and palm oil.
Saturated fats reduce insulin sensitivity, causing a poor nutrient transfer to your working muscles whilst increasing the lavation of insulin in your blood stream.
Unsaturated fats are usually liquid at room temperature and come primarily from vegetable oils and oily fish (herring, mackerel, trout, and salmon).
If the chain contains only one double bond it's a Mono-unsaturated fat (E.g. olive oil, rapeseed oil, peanut oil, avocados).
If the chain contains two or more double bonds, it is called a Polyunsaturated fat (e.g. sunflower, corn oil).
These fats are healthier, and contain the EFA's (Omega 3 and 6) which the body requires from its nutritional intake, as it can't be produced naturally by the body - it has been proven to have an added benefit of lowering blood cholesterol levels, often associated with persons on a high saturated fat diet.
Hydrogenated fats is a process by which naturally unsaturated oils are changed into saturated oils by forcing hydrogen ions into the bonds of the unsaturated oils under extreme pressure.
The body is not designed to digest, or utilize these unnatural substances. In the manufacture of margarines or many food products (e.g. biscuits), hydrogenated oils are used as a cheap ingredient in place of butter.
IMPORTANT POINTS TO NOTE
The heating of any fat or oil speeds up the process of rancidity.
Read labels carefully and choose foods with lower percentages of fats.
Lean cuts of meat are more suitable than cheaper beef burgers or sausages.
Try to avoid adding fat to your cooking, grilling, boiling, poaching, steaming or micro waving instead of frying.
If you do fry, use a non-stick pan and as little oil as possible - oil sprays will greatly reduce the oil used - remember that tablespoon of oil contains around 130 calories.
Look at the natural fats that you consume like milk, cheese and butter, aim to choose a lower fat option i.e. skimmed milk.
When looking at consuming fats in your diet, look at healthier options such as fatty fish (salmon - trout - mackerel), using extra virgin olive oil for salad dressings. Foods such as olives - avocado - nuts - and seeds are all high in natural fats, so aim to consume these foods in moderation.
Poor quality fats are easy to recognize, as these are often the foods you want to eat, they will tend to go down easy, as the fat makes them both tasty and palatable. Avoid these types of fatty foods such as cream cakes - processed meats such as hot dogs - junky pizzas and cheap quality meats.
Low fat diets below 10% of daily calorie consumption should be avoided, as these will cause hormonal hunger cravings, due to high fluctuation in blood sugar levels, resulting in greater levels of insulin being released into the blood stream.
Look at getting 15 - 20% of your total calorie intake from healthy fat sources (those high in EFA's) aiming to avoid saturated and hydrogenated fat sources.
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