Good Fat and Bad Fat. What You Should Know.

A person’s diet plays a large part in their life, it can dictate how much they weigh and affect their overall health. There has been a lot of talk in the media in recent years about the dangers of certain fats in the diet and the harm that they can cause. Unfortunately there are many people who do not understand the difference between good and bad fats and as a result try to avoid all of them. Doing this is not healthy as the body needs good fat to maintain health and vitality. If you would like to understand the difference between good fat VS bad fat read on.

Good fats include: monosaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat.

Monosaturated fat can be found in peanuts, almonds, avocado, olive oil and canola. These work to lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (the cholesterol which is particularly bad for you) and raise the levels of HDL cholesterol which is a type of cholesterol which is good for you. As well as improving the levels of cholesterol monounsaturated fat can also help you to lower body fat when eaten in moderation.

Polyunsaturated fat will also work to lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. These can be found in salmon, corn, soy, sunflower oil and fish oils. Polyunsaturated fats also include Omega 3 fatty acids which are very beneficial for the body and the brain.

Bad fats include: Saturated fat and trans fats.

Saturated fat will raise the levels of LDL cholesterol and the amount of cholesterol in the blood. This can lead to heart problems and obesity as well as other health issues. Saturated fat is found in large amounts in animal products like dairy produce and meat although palm oil and coconut oil also contain this type of fat.

Trans fats are a scientifically produced type of fat which will last longer in preserved products. These are incredibly bad for your health and they can lead to rapid weight gain and heart problems.

In order to eat a healthy and well balanced diet a person should aim to include good fats in their diet and cut down on as many of the bad fats as possible. So switch cooking fats to olive oil and avoid processed foods with high levels of saturated and trans fats in them. Eating fat meat with all visible fat trimmed off is also wise as is drinking lower fat dairy products. Make these few changes and understand good fat VS bad fat and you will lose weight and improve your health.

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