When you read the labels on food products, you become acquainted with the "fat" words that include terms such as "saturated", "monounsaturated" and "polyunsaturated". These are types of fatty acids with unique characteristics, properties and effects on the body. Foods generally contain more than one type of fatty acid.

The foods we eat contain varied proportions of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Meats and dairy products contain a high amount of saturated fatty acids; almonds and olives contain a higher amount of monounsaturated fatty acids; sunflower and corn oils contain a significant amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Generally, a food rich in saturated fat is solid at room temperature, while at the same temperature, a food rich in mono or polyunsaturated fat is liquid. The more of one type of fatty acid a food contains, the more it adopts the behavior of this fatty acid.

Saturated fatty acids have a tendency to raise the blood cholesterol level, although not all saturated fats behave the same. For example, the fat contained in butter and dairy products dramatically raises the LDL (bad cholesterol) while the one found in beef increases LDL but to a lesser degree. The fat contained in cocoa butter has an even smaller impact.

Saturated fatty acids are mainly found in foods of animal origin such as meats and dairy products. Certain plant foods such as palm and coconut oils also contain large amounts of fatty acids. A certain amount of saturated fats may be eaten in a healthy diet, but a high intake leads to trouble.

The impact of monounsaturated fatty acids on cholesterol was unknown until mid-eighties studies on the olive oil, monounsaturated fat-rich, Mediterranean diet. We now know that monounsaturated fats can reduce the total cholesterol and LDL while protecting the HDL (good cholesterol). A diet rich in monounsaturated fatty acids may also lower triglycerides, the other fatty substance in the blood. In addition, they improve the control of blood sugar and can reduce daily insulin requirements for diabetic patients.

Monounsaturated fats are found in plant foods such as olive, canola and hazelnut oils, almonds, avocados, pistachios, and macadamia nuts. Even a significant intake of these foods will not increase the risk of heart disease but will contribute to weight gains.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids have long been the highly recommended by health professionals because of their rich content in essential fatty acids, and because of their power to reduce total blood cholesterol. Unfortunately, while they lower total cholesterol and the LDL, they could also lower the HDL.
The family of polyunsaturated fatty acids is a very large one and includes both the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids are found in plant foods such as corn, soya, wheat germ, sunflower and sesame seeds and oils.

These fatty acids have always been present in our foods. However, the food industry has manipulated the most vulnerable, the poly and monounsaturated fatty acids, in order to obtain a solid and stable fat at room temperature. Chemists and food technologists have developed a very effective method called hydrogenation. It is the process of incorporating hydrogen into the fatty acids to produce a hydrogenated fatty acid. This well-recognized and common process raises the melting point of a fat, hardens and stabilizes it, extends its storage time and permits the use of higher cooking temperature. It may be practical from an industrial point of view but useless for the body.

When oils are hydrogenated, their unsaturated fatty acids take a new form called trans, a nonidentical twin with different characteristics altogether. The trans form changes the entire behavior of the unsaturated fatty acids and makes them act much like saturated fats. It increases the LDL, decreases the HDL, and increase the risk of heart disease. They compete with essential fatty acids and may lead to a deficiency that can affect the arteries and the immune system. They have a negative impact on the cell membrane fluidity and behavior.

Hydrogenated fats and trans-fatty acids are found in a wide range of food products.

Rachel
Weight Loss & Fitness Solutions