Learn
All About FAT
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Consult a general practitioner before attempting this exercise |
FAT
should
account for 30% or less of the calories consumed daily, with saturated
fats accounting for no more than 10% of the total fat intake. Fats are a
concentrated form of energy, which help maintain body temperature, and
protect body tissues and organs. Fat also plays an essential role in
carrying the four fat-soluble vitamins: A, D, E, and K.
Excess calories from protein and carbohydrates are converted to and stored
as fat. Even if you are eating mostly "fat free" foods, excess
consumption will result in additional body fat. Fat calories in food are
readily stored, while it takes energy to transform protein and
carbohydrates to body fat. The only proven way to reduce body fat is to
burn more calories than one consumes.
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Saturated
Fat:
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Tends to increase blood cholesterol levels. Most saturated fats
tend to be solid at room temperature.
Found mostly in meat and dairy products, as well as some
vegetable oils, such as coconut and palm oils. Butter is high in
saturated fat, while margarine tends to have more unsaturated fat.
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Polyunsaturated
Fat:
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Tends to lower blood cholesterol levels
Found mostly in plant sources. (Safflower, sunflower, soybean,
corn, cottonseed)
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Monounsaturated
Fat:
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Tends to lower LDL cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol)
Found in both plant and animal products, such as olive oil,
canola oil, peanut oil, and in some plant foods such as avocado
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Cholesterol
intake should not exceed 300 milligrams a day. High blood cholesterol has
been linked to the occurrence of arteriosclerosis. Arteriosclerosis is a
build-up of fatty deposits in the coronary arteries and other blood
vessels, and is a leading cause of heart attacks.
Dietary cholesterol is only found in foods from animal sources,
including meat, fish, milk, eggs, cheese, and butter. You may have heard
the terms HDL and LDL discussed in relation to blood cholesterol and heart
disease. HDL and LDL are lipoproteins, substances found in the
bloodstreams, that transport cholesterol and triglycerides in the body.
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HDLs
help remove cholesterol from the blood, protecting you from heart
disease (Arteriosclerosis).
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LDLs are thought to deposit cholesterol in artery walls,
increasing your risk of heart disease (Arteriosclerosis).
Most abundant type, LDL carries approximately 65% of the total
circulating cholesterol. High levels of LDL are associated with arteriosclerosis
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Ronalds
Tips on how to Reduce Fat and Cholesterol
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Use skim or low-fat milk and cheese made from skim or low-fat milk
Cut back on the amount of fat you use in cooking
Use water-packed tuna instead of oil-packed
Choose lean cuts of meat
Trim visible fat from meat
Roast, bake, broil, or simmer meats and drain fat after cooking.
Don't fry
Remove the skin of cooked poultry
In a dip or sandwich filling, replace all or part of the
mayonnaise with yoghurt
Use vegetable or peanut oils instead of solid shortening and use
margarine instead of butter or lard
Try substituting egg whites in recipes calling for whole eggs.
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