Fat
is an important part of a healthy diet. There's more
and more evidence that many fats are good for us and
actually reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
They also help our sugar and insulin metabolism and
therefore contribute to our goals of long-term weight
loss and weight maintenance. And because good fats
make foods taste better, they help us enjoy the journey
to a healthier lifestyle. But not all fats are created
equal--there are good fats and bad fats.
"Good"
fats include monounsaturated fats, found in olive
and canola oils, peanuts and other nuts, peanut butter,
and avocados. Monounsaturated fats lower total and
"bad" LDL cholesterol - which accumulates
in and clogs artery walls--while maintaining levels
of "good" HDL cholesterol, which carries
cholesterol from artery walls and delivers it to the
liver for disposal.
Omega-3
fatty acids - polyunsaturated fats found in coldwater
fish, canola oil, flaxseeds, walnuts, almonds, and
macadamia nuts--also count as good fat. Recent studies
have shown that populations that eat more omega-3s,
such as Eskimos (whose diets are heavy on fish), have
fewer serious health problems such as heart disease
and diabetes. There is evidence that omega-3 oils
help prevent or treat depression, arthritis, asthma,
and colitis and help prevent cardiovascular deaths.
You'll eat both monounsaturated fats and omega-3s
in abundance in all three phases of the diet.
"Bad"
fats include saturated fats - the heart-clogging kind
found in butter, fatty red meats, and full-fat dairy
products. "Very bad" fats are the manmade
trans fats. Trans fats, which are created when hydrogen
gas reacts with oil, are found in many packaged foods,
including margarine, cookies, cakes, cake icings,
doughnuts, and potato chips. Trans fats are worse
than saturated fats; they are bad for our blood vessels,
nervous systems, and waistline.
Just
recently, the FDA ruled that by 2007, food manufacturers
must list the amount of trans fats in their products
on the label. (The natural trans fats in meat and
milk, which act very differently in the body than
the manmade kind, will not require labeling.)
-
Information from Prevention Guide |
