|
Home / Health / Nutrition
What Good and Bad Fat can do to Your Health
By:Knut Holt
THE FAT TYPES AND THEIR EFFECTS
High consumption of fat or of the combination fat and carbohydrates causes obesity, heart disease and other health problems. However the different types of fat have very different effects on the health. Here is a survey of the different fat categories and their effects:
Mono-unsaturated fat - This type of fat prevents heart disease and circulatory disease in moderate amounts.
Omega-6-poly-unsaturated fat - This fat type prevents heart disease if you do not consume too much of it. However it causes inflammatory reactions. This type of reactions are benign when they are moderate and when they are provoked to fight disease. But a constant high inflammatory response is dangerous, and can cause rheumatism, heart trouble and cancer. A very high consumption of this type of fat is therefore dangerous.
Omega-3-poly-unsaturated fat - This type of fat prevents heart disease and reduces inflammatory reactions in moderate amounts. Therefore it also reduces the risk of cancer, intestinal inflammations and rheumatism.
Omega-9-poly-unsaturated fat - This type of fat also prevents heart disease and reduces inflammatory reactions in moderate amounts. Therefore it reduces the risk of cancer, intestinal inflammations and rheumatism.
Saturated fat - This type of fat is probably not dangerous in small amounts. In higher amounts, saturated fat gives high cholesterol levels, causes clogging of the blood vessels, causes coronary heart disease and increases the risk of infarct of the heart and other organs.
Cholesterol - Cholesterol is a fat-like compound found in the food, but also synthesized from saturated fat by the body. High intake of saturated fat or of cholesterol itself therefore elevates the cholesterol level in the body. Cholesterol is a necessary compound, but in higher amounts it causes clogging of the blood vessels, causes coronary heart disease and increases the risk of infarct of the heart and other organs.
Trans-fat - This type of fat is produced by chemical processing to yield specific mechanical properties. Margarine often contains this type of fat. This type of fat is dangerous, and is a probably a causal component for heart disease and cancer. There is however one exception: Some amount of fat containing the trans acid conjugated linoleic acid seem to be benevolent for the skin health and may help reduce weight. Conjugated linoleic acid is found in milk and butter.
COMMON PROBLEMS OF THE AVERAGE DIET
The average American and European diet generally contains too much fat and carbohydrates combined. The fat consumed is generally a mixture of trans fat, saturated fat and omega-6-poly-usaturated fat. This bad fat consume causes overweight and is probably a major contributing component for the incidence of heart disease, cancer, intestinal inflammatory diseases, rheumatism and other inflammatory conditions.
RECOMMENDED AMOUNT OF FAT IN THE DIET:
A common advice is to let 25-30 % of the energy needed be covered by fat and the rest by carbohydrates. However, experts do not agree at his point. Some recommend a low carbohydrate diet with more fat, and others recommend a high carbohydrate diet with a low fat amount.
In either case, the combined intake of fat and carbohydrates should not be much higher than your daily energy consumption if you have a normal or wanted weight. If you want to loose weight, this combined amount must be lower. If you want to gain weight, it should be higher.
THE RIGHT MIXTURE OF FAT TYPES
The right mixture of different fat types is as important as the amount of fat in the diet to keep good health. However, you must not take the percent ratios given here too literally, since there is little agreement about the exact ratios that should be recommended. Furthermore, if you have an active lifestyle that demands much energy, this is best achieved by increasing the amount of carbohydrates and mono-unsaturated fat.
Mono-unsaturated fat - Ideally as much as 35% of the fat consumption should be from this type of fat. You can find this fat in olive oil, raps oil and walnut oil.
Omega-6-poly-unsaturated fat - 30 % of the fat consumption should be from this fat type. You find it in soy oil and corn oil.
Omega-3-poly-unsaturated fat and omega-9-poly-usatureted fat - 20 % of the fat consumption should be this type. You find it in fish oil and in fat fish. If you suffer from inflammatory conditions like rheumatism and intestinal inflammation, you will probably benefit from increasing the amount of this fat type, and reduce the amount of other fat types.
Saturated fat - Not more than 15 % of the fat consumption should be saturated fat. Saturated fat is found in fat from mammals, coconut fat and in milk.
Cholesterol - The cholesterol level in the body depends upon the combined amount of consumed cholesterol itself and saturated fat. To keep the cholesterol level right, you should not consume too much saturated fat, and not very much of food containing cholesterol, like eggs and spawn.
Trans-fat - This type of fat should ideally not be a part of the diet at all. Margarine, cookies, snacks and often also bread contain this type of fat. It is therefore important to reduce consume of margarine, cookies, snacks, and to check the composition of the bread you consume.
Conjugated linoleic acid - This is perhaps the only trans fat acid that is benevolent in some amount. It is found in natural milk fat, and you can buy dietary supplements of this substance. A small amount of this substance may help keep your skin healthy and may help you to reduce weight.
Digg
del.icio.us
Blink
Stumble
Spurl
Reddit
Netscape
Furl
Article keywords: how, you, can, improve, your, health, with, right, amount, of, fat, and, mixture, types, right, consume, in, your, diet, bad, good, prevent, cure, disease
Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com
Knut Holt is an internet consultant and marketer focusing on health items. TO FIND natural medicines against common diseases, for example: Over-weight, acne, eczema, hypothyroidism, fatigue, depression, hemorrhoids, joint pain, hypertension, high cholesterol, circulatory problems, digestive ailments, allergies, menstrual problems, respiratory diseases and more, PLEASE VISIT:----
www.panteraconsulting.com/salg2.htm
----Free to reprint with the author's name and link.
|
|
| Top Nutrition Articles |
|
|
- 2). All About Protein By : Ken_B
Proteins are very important to our bodies. It isn't just for bodybuilders who use them to gain muscle mass. Those who are sick use them to rebuild damaged tissue and even in normal states, our body uses protein for many different tasks.
Proteins are made of amino acids that are folded together. There are essential amino acids - those that our body cannot make, and non essential amino acids - those that our body can make.
|
- 3). How To Find Really Healthy Food in the Grocery Store By : Kim Beardsmore
Do you really know what is healthy food?
We all try and stick to choosing healthy items when grocery shopping or eating out, but how well do we really know our foods? Discover how to find out about reading between the lines, what to look out for in labels and how to dine out healthily.
When shopping in your local supermarket, it's very easy to be attracted to colourful aisles filled with crisps and chocolates.
|
- 4). Give Brown Bag Lunches A Nutritious Makeover By : Wayne Ryan
There's no reason to rely on the same old brown bag lunch every day. Create simple, wholesome recipes and "out of the box" lunches to help beat brown bag lunch boredom and give you and your kids more nutritious choices.
Let's face it, the main staple of most brown bag lunches is a sandwich made with lunch meat. In fact, according to ACNielsen research, lunch meat is purchased by 85 percent of U.
|
- 5). The Dangers of Sodas and Diet Drinks By : Dianne Ronnow
Sodas and colas are incredibly popular across the world. These beverages account for more than a quarter of all drinks consumed in the United States. More than 15 billion gallons were sold in 2000. That works out to at least one 12-ounce can per day for every man, woman and child.
Sodas are full of empty calories and will contribute to obesity, tooth decay, weakened bones and caffeine dependence.
|
- 6). Lack Of Vitamins Is The Result Of Careless Nutrition By : Jennie Winter
One of the most common deficiencies is that in iron; about two to three millions of people suffer from the lack in iron in their blood and some develop the anemia hypo ferric or the iron-deficiency, which is the latest stage of this kind of deficiency. Those who are usually in high risk are children and women in fecundity periods. Until the 80-ties this phenomena was very common with babies and little children.
|
- 7). Sources of Vitamins When A is What You Need By : Bob Benson
Of the vitamins necessary for a healthy life, Vitamin A is one that’s often overlooked. You seldom hear anyone touting the positive effects of Vitamin A, but it is one of the most necessary vitamins for proper growth and development. In addition, Vitamin A is also necessary for the proper function of the reproductive organs and the immune system. Children who are deprived of Vitamin A at an early age may experience severe health problems related to an underdeveloped immune system.
|
- 8). Herbal Nutrition Supplements By : Brad Jones
Herbal nutrition supplements the Alternative to hormone replacement therapy
Hair loss is a genetic/hormonal process that can affect both men and women. Hormones that bind to hair follicles can cause an imbalance in the biological processes that cause hair growth. Eventually, excess hormonal action on the follicle causes hair to stop growing and the follicle dies.
|
- 9). Getting a Healthy Breakfast By : Peter Garant jr.
Breakfast, like any other meal of the day, needs proper planning. No longer is it planned independently of the other meals. The three meals should be planned as a unit and balanced against the daily body requirement with enough allowance for good health.
A light breakfast must necessarily be followed be a substantial meal, while a heavy breakfast must be followed by a light lunch.
|
- 10). Vitamins How to Get the Most From Your Diet By : Bob Benson
It’s not easy to eat right, but when you are going out of your way to eat healthy you should be sure that you’re getting the most from your foods. One important issue regarding vitamins is that some foods lose their vitamin content when they’re not handled properly.
Raw is better. It’s a simple fact of fruits and vegetables that cooking tends to damage vitamin content.
|
| New Nutrition Articles |
- 1). Are you a Weight Watcher? By : Nicky Pilkington
The decision to lose weight is not one that many people make lightly - excuse the pun. Often, it has been flitting around in the mind for years. It may even have been reached, acted on and abandoned as another fad diet bit the dust. Then, a rogue photograph appears depicting you doing your best whale impression, or you are unexpectedly required to move quickly (perhaps during a fire drill at work, where everyone sees you panting), and almost expire from the effort. Shamed into action you decide once again that another attempt to shed weight will be worthwhile.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- 5). Guidance on the Proper Nutrition for Teens By : Paul Ghossain
It is important to ensure that your teenager is getting the right nutritional balance each day. The best way to do this is to provide your teenager with the resources that he or she needs in order to know the consequences and benefits of dietary choices.
|
|
|
- 7). Cranberries Are Great Antioxidants By : Joe Bella
Nutrition experts have learned that cranberries are one of the richest sources of bioflavonoids, antioxidants proven to destroy tissue-damaging free radicals and reinforce the cells that make up blood vessel walls which results in significantly enhanced blood circulation.
|
|
|
- 9). The Glycemic Index, What You Should Know About It By : Jim Oneill
As of late, there has been much mention about the glycemic index. People everywhere talk about it and food advertisements use it liberally to promote certain products. But just what is this glycemic index and what does it mean for you? Why is it that people are resorting to it as a means of weight loss and overall healthy eating choices? What is the reason that the G.
|
- 10). Antioxidants: Eat All Your Colors! By : Shari Hearn
Antioxidants are all the rage today. And, justifiably so. Antioxidants help neutralize free radicals which cause cell damage, which ultimately can lead to diseases of the heart and cancer. It seems everywhere you go its blueberry this and blueberry that. You have your choice of wild blueberry juice, blueberry-pomegranate juice, blueberry-cranberry juice and so on and so on.
|
|
|
