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by: Ruth Bird
Fats, The Good
The Bad and Omega 3.
This has become a hot topic lately. There is so much talk of fats,
the healthy fats, the bad fats, the trans fats. I have done some
research on fats, trying to keep it simple for us. Here is some
important information I have come up with. Omega 3 has become a
favorite topic of mine. It has such amazing health improvement
qualities. Remember, this is for your information only, and not
meant as gospel nor is it meant for diagnostic purposes.
Saturated fats
Saturated fat is the main dietary cause of high blood cholesterol.
The American Heart Association recommends that you limit your
saturated fat intake to 710 percent of total calories (or less)
each day. If you have coronary heart disease or your LDL cholesterol
level is 100 mg/dL or greater, your doctor should recommend the
Therapeutic Lifestyle Change (TLC) Diet. It recommends 2535 percent
of calories from fat, with less than 7 percent coming from saturated
fat. Cholesterol is limited to less than 200 milligrams a day.
Saturated fat is found mostly in foods from animals and some plants.
Foods from animals These include beef, beef fat, veal, lamb, pork,
lard, poultry fat, butter, cream, milk, cheeses and other dairy
products made from whole milk. These foods also contain dietary
cholesterol.
Foods from plants These include coconut oil, palm oil and palm
kernel oil (often called tropical oils), and cocoa butter.
Hydrogenated fats
During food processing, fats may undergo a chemical process called
hydrogenation. This is common in margarine and shortening. These
fats also raise blood cholesterol. Use hydrogenated fats only if
they contain no more than two grams of saturated fat per tablespoon.
The saturated fat content of most margarines and spreads is printed
on the package or Nutrition Facts label.
Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats Polyunsaturated and
monounsaturated fats are the two unsaturated fats. They're found
primarily in oils from plants.
Polyunsaturated fats These include safflower, sesame and sunflower
seeds, corn and soybeans, many nuts and seeds, and their oils.
Monounsaturated fats These include canola, olive and peanut oils,
and avocados.
Both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats may help lower your
blood cholesterol level when you use them in place of saturated fats
in your diet. But a moderate intake of all types of fat is best. Use
polyunsaturated or monounsaturated oils and margarines and spreads
made from them in limited amounts. This is recommended in place of
using fats with a high saturated fat content, such as butter, lard
or hydrogenated shortenings.
Since their discovery in the 1970s, the omega-3 essential fatty
acids have generated thousands of studies and clinical trials.
Essential to life and good health, they protect against disease and
can treat illness.
Dr. Barry Sears is a research scientist and creator of the world
famous Zone Diet. His most recent book, The OmegaRx Zone - The
Miracle of the New High-Dose Fish Oil, is the culmination of 20
years of research on the benefits of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids
contained in fish oil. In fact, Dr. Sears pioneered the development
of pharmaceutical-grade fish oil, a highly refined nutritional
supplement rich in DHA and EPA. This work continues his life long
dedication to using diet to help people maintain their state of
wellness.
http://www.getwellnews.info
Yet few people understand what they are, what they do.
When it comes to heart disease, prevention is your best bet. High
blood pressure and hypertension put undue stress on the heart, blood
vessels and other organs. A person can get excellent heart health
through a variety of ways, especially through a good diet.
Certain foods have been shown to be healthy for the heart. Fish has
the proven benefits of omega-3 oil. Omega-3 may lower the risk of
abnormal heart rhythms and reduce the cohesion of blood cells, which
make them less likely to form clots and block arteries. Omega-3
seems to be particularly beneficial to people already at risk for
heart disease and those who have experienced a heart attack.
Olive oil is a healthy choice over other fats such as butter, palm
and coconut oils because olive oil is a monounsaturated fat that
does not increase levels of cholesterol and triglycerides
The following information on trans fatty acids is Information from
the Food and Drug Administration
Q: What are trans fatty acids?
A: Trans fatty acids (or "trans fat") are fats found in foods such
as vegetable shortening, some margarines, crackers, candies, baked
goods, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, salad dressings, and many
processed foods.
*-additional information from me: Fats that are artificially created
through a chemical process of the hydrogenation of oils. This
solidifies the oil and limits the body's ability to regulate
cholesterol. These fats are considered to be the most harmful to
one's health. The Federal Drug Administration has mandated that the
amount of trans fats be labeled on food products by 2005.
Q: Why should We care about trans fat?
A: It's important to know about trans fat because there is a direct,
proven relationship between diets high in trans fat content and LDL
("bad") cholesterol levels and, therefore, and increased risk of
coronary heart disease a leading cause of death in the US.
Q: Aren't all fats bad?
A: No. There are "good" fats and "bad" ones, just like there's good
and bad blood cholesterol. Saturated fats and trans fat have bad
effects on cholesterol levels. Polyunsaturated fats and
monosaturated fats (such as olive oil, canola oil, soybean oil, and
corn oil) have good effects.
Q: How much trans fat is too much?
A: There is research currently under way to determine this. However,
it is true and accurate to say that the less saturated fat, trans
fat and cholesterol consumed the better. Trans fat while pervasive
in many of the foods we eat is not "essential" to any healthy diet.
Q: How can consumers know if a product contains trans fat if it's
not identified on the nutrition label?
A: Consumers can know if a food contains trans fat by looking at the
ingredient list on the food label. If the ingredient list includes
the words "shortening," "partially hydrogenated vegetable oil" or
"hydrogenated vegetable oil," the food contains trans fat. Because
ingredients are listed in descending order of predominance, smaller
amounts are present when the ingredient is close to the end of the
list.
Q: Do restaurants have to list the fat content of their foods?
A: No. But it's a good tip to always ask which fats are being used
to prepare the food you order. (I read in the rumour mill that
Restaurants in New York are being asked to voluntarily cut down on
their trans fat usage* my own comments)
Q: Why is it important to read labels?
A: Labels provide valuable information. An informed consumer is able
to make better, healthier choices.
"The American Heart Association recommends healthy people eat
omega-3 fatty acids from fish and plant sources to protect their
hearts. Have you heard of this miracle?
OmegaRx Fish Oil, quoted as being close to a Medical Miracle in our
Century! Omega 3, The Good Fat, Is on your side, they contribute to
your good health. They are also a big part of Dr Barry Sears Zone
Diet.
Omega-3 (you may sometimes see it written as n-3 or w-3) is the name
given to a family of polyunsaturated fatty acids. The parent omega-3
- alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) - is described as 'essential' as, like
vitamins, it must be obtained from diet. It is polyunsaturated and
has 18 carbon atoms and 3 double bonds (18:3).
There is no doubt that the omega-3 fatty acids are essential to
health.
Omega-3 oils -- found in fatty fish, like salmon and tuna -- help
lower blood pressure, fight heart disease and even battle
depression. ...
Omega-3 fatty acids work against depression. Recent studies
suggested that consuming omega-3 rich foods such as oily fish can
help prevent depression. Omega-3 fatty acids have already been found
to offer a myriad benefits to human health. Notably, intake of
omega-3 fatty acids or use of oily fish reduces the cardiovascular
disease. Omega-3 fatty acids are found richly in oily fish such as
salmon fish and tuna. Plant sources such as flaxseed oil and canola
oil also offer certain amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty
acids or oil can be purchased as nutrient supplements.
There is no doubt that the omega-3 fatty acids are essential to
health.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and drug
Administration. This article is not intended to diagnose, treat,
cure any disease.
It is very definitely to your advantage to study further the
wonderful benefits of Omega3.
About the author:
People and Pet health care, are of great concern to me.
My name is Ruth Bird and my three dogs are, Dukie, Benny and Nikki.
I also have a husband, Chris. Chris is battling the monster, MS. The
dogs are wonderful company for him. http://www.mimfreedom.com
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