What are those good fats?

As usual, we tend to consider all types of fat to be bad. While saturated fats and trans fats are unhealthy and risk health, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are good for us. These good fats are necessary for the proper functioning of the nervous system, the absorption of vitamins, cell maintenance, and the proper functioning of the immune system. They even help lower high cholesterol levels and decrease the chances of getting a heart attack. In general, most foods contain bad fats and good fats as well, and therefore, choosing the right type of food is extremely important. It is recommended to consume monounsaturated foods and polyunsaturated fats.

Incorporate more of these good fats into your diet

• Cold water fish (salmon, haddock, tuna, and trout) are rich in omega-3 essential acids, which are “good” fats. Even eating oysters and clams, you get a certain amount of healthy fats. If you do not like eating fish, fish oil supplements have all the benefits of healthy fats to take them regularly.
• Oils extracted from plants and vegetables are also a source of good fats. Olive oil contains the highest amount of fats in the form of polyunsaturated fats. Flaxseed oils are a source of omega-3 essential fatty acids.
• Nuts and seeds have always been known for their nutritional value and health benefits. However, a person who seeks to consume healthy fats can eat nuts and seeds. Hazelnuts, cashews, peanuts, and almonds are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids. Oils extracted from these nuts also contain good fats themselves.

It is crucial to include “good” fats in your healthy diet because they have many essential functions in the body. But it is also vital to know the difference between healthy fats and fatty fats because excess consumption of rich foods can lead to heart and blood pressure-related diseases, weight gain, and other health disorders.

Vegetable oils serve as food and are therefore also called edible oils. This includes, for example:

• Linseed oil
• Rapeseed oil
• Sunflower oil
• Olive oil

Animal oils are also used as foodstuffs and, like vegetable oils, are used in the chemical and cosmetic industries (raw material for the production of soaps). Among them are:

• Lard
• Poultry fat
• Fish oil
• Cod liver oil

Definition: What is fat?

Fats, also called lipids in technical jargon, fulfill numerous essential functions in the human body. The most crucial process of fat is to provide humans with energy.

In addition, fat serves as:

• carrier of vitamins A, D, E, and K
• the building material of cell membranes
• carrier of taste
• protection against external influences

Fats have a high energy density. They have more than twice as many calories as carbohydrates and protein. As a result, consume large amounts of fat over a long period and at the same time burn too few calories. The result can be obesity and associated diseases (high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis).

Not every energy value (calories, grams of fat) means the same thing to the body. It is not always a question of how much fat you eat, but what kind of fats.

Fats can be divided into three groups according to their composition:

Fats with

• Saturated fatty acids,
• monounsaturated fatty acids,
• polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Fatty acids consist of carbon atoms. Each carbon atom forms a bond with two hydrogen atoms in saturated fatty acids. In unsaturated fatty acids, some of these bonds are missing. Instead, the carbon atoms are bonded to each other.

Unsaturated fatty acids can be split at these points. They are therefore better utilized by the body than saturated fatty acids.

Differences: Are fat and oil the same thing?

The difference between fat and oil lies in their aggregate state.

Whether solid or liquid, Fats are grouped under the umbrella term lipids. As soon as the fat is liquid at room temperature, it is called oil. From a chemical point of view, solid and liquid fats are structured according to the same basic pattern.

Nutrition: Why does the body need oils and fats?

Fat has several essential roles in the body. On the one hand, lipids provide us with vital fatty acids and transport the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, K in the body. On the other hand, by absorbing fats and oils from food, the human body is supplied with energy, which it can then store—furthermore, fat acts as a building block for the construction and development of cells and nervous tissue. Thanks to fats, organs are protected from external influences, and the body is warmed in cold seasons.

In the kitchen, fats and oils provide flavor and are important flavor carriers.

Oils and fats have the following functions for the human body:

• Supply of the body with essential fatty acids
• Transport of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, K
• Flavor and aroma carrier
• Supply of the body with energy
• Storage of energy
• Building blocks of cells and nervous tissue
• Thermal protection
• Protective cushion for internal organs (kidneys, brain)

Do unsaturated fatty acids protect the heart?

However, it is much more critical that you eat the right fats. For example, if you follow the Mediterranean diet, i.e., a sparing use of olive oil, plus fish and steamed vegetables, you can reduce your risk of heart attack by up to 40 percent.

The reason for this is the simple unsaturated fatty acids found in olive oil and rapeseed and walnut oil. Unsaturated fatty acids in vegetable oils have a positive effect on blood lipids. Therefore, they serve for the prevention of heart diseases. They protect not only against infarcts but also premature cardiac death.

Extra tip: Oil as a beauty secret

You should use oils not only internally as food. Olive oil, in particular, protects not only the cells of your heart but also those of your skin. So try it out: Replace your regular face and body care with a few drops of olive oil.

This will make your skin soft, smooth, and less sensitive to cancer-causing UV light.

Oils and fats in food

Saturated fats are considered “offenders” in the diet because they increase blood cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease. Foods high in saturated fats include, for example:

• Meat
• Dairy products
• Coconut and palm oil

What are saturated fats, and what do they contain?
Saturated fatty acids are a part of fats. Fatty acids of this type increase the cholesterol level in the blood, especially the undesirable LDL cholesterol (LDL = Low-Density Lipoprotein).