An imbalance in any step can result in disease, including heart disease and diabetes. For instance, having too many triglycerides in our bloodstream raises our risk of clogged arteries, which can lead to heart attack and stroke. Fats help the body stockpile certain nutrients as well. The so-called "fat-soluble" vitamins--A, D, E and K--are stored in the liver and in fatty tissues. Using a quantitative and systematic approach to study lipids, researchers have classified lipids into eight main categories.
Cholesterol belongs to the "sterol" group, and triglycerides are "glycerolipids. The main type of fat we consume, triglycerides are especially suited for energy storage because they pack more than twice as much energy as carbohydrates or proteins.
Once triglycerides have been broken down during digestion, they are shipped out to cells through the bloodstream. Some of the fat gets used for energy right away. The rest is stored inside cells in blobs called lipid droplets. Hydrogenated vegetable oil must be declared on a food's ingredients list if it's been included. Like saturated fats, trans fats can raise cholesterol levels in the blood. But most people in the UK do not eat a lot of trans fats.
On average, we eat about half the recommended maximum. Most of the supermarkets in the UK have removed partially hydrogenated vegetable oil from all their own-brand products. People in the UK tend to eat a lot more saturated fats than trans fats. This means that when you're looking at the amount of fat in your diet, it's more important to focus on reducing the amount of saturated fats.
If you want to reduce your risk of heart disease, it's best to reduce your overall fat intake and swap saturated fats for unsaturated fats. There's good evidence that replacing saturated fats with some unsaturated fats can help to lower your cholesterol level. Mostly found in oils from plants and fish, unsaturated fats can be either monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. Monounsaturated fats help protect your heart by maintaining levels of "good" HDL cholesterol while reducing levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol in your blood.
Polyunsaturated fats can also help lower the level of "bad" LDL cholesterol in your blood. Some types of omega-3 and omega-6 fats cannot be made by your body, which means it's essential to include small amounts of them in your diet.
These heart-healthy fats stabilize cholesterol levels and lower your overall risk of cardiovascular disease when you consume them in place of bad fats. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats come from vegetable oils, nuts, avocados and cold-water fish, such as salmon and tuna. Bad fats, or saturated and trans fats, raise low-density lipoprotein, also called LDL, cholesterol. Elevated low-density lipoprotein hardens arteries and raises blood pressure. Over time, you may be more at risk of heart attack and stroke.
You need increased levels of high-density lipoprotein to rid your body of excess low-density lipoprotein. Trans fats are especially harmful because they lower your high-density lipoprotein, also called HDL cholesterol, reports "The New York Times. There are two subtypes: Monounsaturated fat molecules have a single unsaturated carbon bond, while polyunsaturated fats have more than one unsaturated carbon bond, the AHA explains. Both kinds are usually liquid at room temperature, and are found in large amounts in fish, avocados, walnuts, and various types of vegetable oils.
While foods are often higher in either unsaturated or saturated fat, all dietary fat contains some of both types of fatty acids, according to the Dietary Guidelines. Trans fats , however, are a whole different ball game. While they do occur naturally in tiny amounts in meat, dairy, and some oils, according to the FDA , most trans fats are artificially produced during an industrial process wherein hydrogen is added to liquid vegetable oils in order to solidify them, creating partially hydrogenated oils.
The FDA actually banned these artificial trans fats, most commonly found in fried foods and processed baked goods, because of their link to heart disease. Although the ban went into effect in June , foods manufactured before that date can be sold through January 1, Fat has an absurdly long to-do list when it comes to helping our bodies function.
But this macro does so much more than energize us. Fat is a basic component of cell membranes in every cell throughout our bodies, making it essential for body growth and development. It is integral to body processes from blood clotting and nervous system functioning to reproduction and our immune system response, according to the FDA. Many of these benefits can be attributed to those essential fatty acids found in dietary fats. For instance, two of the essential fatty acids that we need for brain development and function can be made using linolenic acid, a fatty acid found in certain vegetable oils and fish oils, Merck Manuals explains.
There are certain crucial vitamins that our bodies can only absorb with the help of fat i. Like we said, pretty crucial. Finally, fats can help regulate your cholesterol levels. Unsaturated fats can help lower your LDL cholesterol low-density lipoprotein, also known as 'bad cholesterol' and raise your HDL high-density lipoprotein, the thumbs-up kind , according to the AHA , which is associated with a lower risk of heart disease.
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