BENEFIT IN FATS

‘’Low fat, fat free, non fat, less fat, reduced fat – too much fat! Survey has revealed that dietary is the number one nutritional concern. In fact, reducing dietary fat has become an obsession for many.
FATS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR GOOD HEALTH!

Fat is an energy source which provides 9 calories per gram and is made up of a glycerol backbone which is esterified with 3 fatty acids to form a triglyceride and 3 molecules of water. These fatty acids determine whether the fat is saturated (no double bonds), monounsaturated (one double bond) or polyunsaturated (more than 1 double bond).

Fats are an important source of energy. They supply, carry and store the fat soluble vitamins – A, D,E and K. fats are involved in the production of nerve cells, cell membranes and many important hormones. Fats help your body maintain healthy skin and hair. Body fat cushions and insulates the body. Fat also gives certain foods their taste, texture and aroma. Fats satisfy hunger and make many foods more pleasurable to eat. However, too mush fats in the diet are associated with HEART DISEASE, CANCER, DIABETES, OBESITY AND HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE.

TYPES OF FATS

· SATURATED FATS

Saturated fats refer to fats that have all the hydrogen molecules it can hold. Saturated fat is mainly found in animal products and is naturally a solid at room temperature. Saturated fats tend to have a negative effect on blood lipids however this is not always the case depending on the persons activity levels. This type of fat is not essential.

Saturated fats can be found in meat, poultry, fish, butter, milk, coconut oil, palm oil etc

Polyunsaturated Fat

Polyunsaturated fats are not saturated with hydrogen molecules because they are unsaturated. Polyunsaturated fat can be split up into 2 categories: Omega 3 polyunsaturated fat & Omega 6 polyunsaturated fat. Polyunsaturated fats are primarily found in vegetable oils and are liquid at room temperature. These fats have a positive effect on human health however excess consumption of omega 6 and lack of omega 3 have a negative effect on human health. These types of fat are essential.

The most important omega 3 fatty acid is alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). This can be altered inside the body to form other fatty acids, with the most important being eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

The most important omega 6 fatty acid is linoleic acid (LA) . This can be altered inside the body to form other fatty acids, with the most important being gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and arachidonic acid (AA).

Polyunsaturated Omega 6 can be found in vegetable oil, corn oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, and sesame oil
Polyunsaturated Omega 3 can be found in fish oil, flaxseed oil, canola oil, walnut oil, and green leafy vegetables

Monounsaturated Fat

Monounsaturated fats helps in deceasing blood levels when substituted for saturated fats. Monounsaturated fat is present in almost all foods which contain fat and are liquid at room temperature. Monounsaturated fat can have a positive effect on health however this is a non essential fat.