What Is The Difference Between A Good Fat And Bad Fat?
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As a low carb dieter, your diet is undoubtedly high in fat. And
if you've done research on the different types of fats, you
probably heard the two big buzz words surrounding fats
today--"good fats" and "bad fats." Up to that point, you may
have thought all fats were bad--or good, but only for low carb
dieters.
In this article, I am going to go over which fats are "good"
and which fats are "bad"--and how much of each you should
consume with your low carb diet.
Let's start with "bad" fats.
1. Saturated fats.
As a low carb dieter, you will run into these often. Saturated
fats are in fatty meat cuts, cheese, milk, and poultry with
skin. Many low carb diets, such as Atkins, have suggested in
the past that dieters consume saturated fats, but most now
insist that dieters consume more "good fats."
Saturated fats increase bad cholesterol (LDL), which can cause
heart disease and certain types of cancer. If your low carb
diet is high in saturated fats, you should consider scaling
this back to a level that satiates your cravings, but doesn't
jeopardize your health.
2. Hydrogenated Fats (trans-fats).
Hydrogenated fats are man-made, but they take on many of the
traits of saturated fats. They are specifically re-engineered
to stay hard at room temperature.
You can find hydrogenated fats in sweets and cookies, which you
most likely will not be eating on your low carb diet; however,
you can also find it in any margarine products, so it is
important to check the ingredient labels on food products
before you purchase them.
Now, for the "good" fats:
1. Monounsaturated fats.
Monounsaturated fats are natural fats that lower "bad"
cholesterol (LDL) and prevent "good" cholesterol (HDL) from
getting lower. As a low carb dieter, you will probably
encounter a lot of monounsaturated fats in the form of canola
oil, olive oil, peanut oil, and nuts
Not only are these sources carb-free or low carb, but most of
them are also high in protein, promote good heart health, and
may reduce the risk of some cancers.
2. Polyunsaturated fats.
Polyunsaturated fats are also natural fats. They come in two
major groupings: Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. As a low carb
dieter, you can find Omega-3 in most types of fatty fish, such
as salmon and trout; Omega-6 fatty acids can be found in most
seed oils.
Omega fatty acids help to reduce bad cholesterol, promote brain
health, and reduce incidence of sudden death from heart attacks.
As a low carb dieter, you will encounter a lot of fats. It is
important that you eat saturated fats to satiate your hunger
and prevent cravings, but you should also focus primarily on
"good" fats--poly and monounsaturated fats--to increase your
"good cholesterol," lower your bad cholesterol," and prevent
certain types of cancer.
Benji Paras runs
http://www.list-of-low-carb-food.com, specializing in the
benefits of the low-carb lifestyle. The site contains a
treasure trove of information for losing weight, and includes a
list of low carb foods, articles, and the latest low-carb
headlines.
Disclaimer: The information presented and opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of ArticlePros.com and/or its partners.
