Food
Macronutrients form the basis of our diet and are made up of proteins, carbohydrates and the most maligned and least understood food group: lipids. Why decried? Because fats are presumed culprits for the majority of metabolic and vascular diseases. However, not all fats are created equal when it comes to health factorsand they are even essential for the proper functioning of our body. Know how to recognize the good fats from the bad ones then becomes a necessity if you want to eat healthily: for slimness, health and well-being.
Contents
Fat: what is it?
If excess fats (whatever their origin) can lead to weight gain because they are very caloric (9 calories per gram), it is their origin that should be monitored, because the type of acid fat they contain can make them good for your health, or very harmful.
What fats to avoid?
Saturated fats: consume in moderation
Most saturated fats are animal fats. They are found in fatty meats and dairy products. Excessive consumption of saturated fatty acids can raise blood cholesterol levels and low density lipoproteins (LDL).
Trans fats: to avoid!
Trans fatty acids appear in foods that contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. These are the worst fats for our body. They are found in:
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Fried foods (French fries, donuts, fried fast foods)
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Baked goods (biscuits, cakes, pastries)
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Most industrial dishes
Like saturated fats, trans fatty acids can raise LDL cholesterol, also called “bad” cholesterol. Trans fats can also lower levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good” cholesterol.
Doctors have also linked trans fats to an increased risk of inflammation in the body.
What are good fats?
Monounsaturated fats
This useful type of fat is found in a wide variety of foods and oils. Research has consistently shown that eating foods that contain monounsaturated fats can improve our blood cholesterol levels and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.
These foods include:
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Nuts (almonds, cashews, peanuts, pecans)
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Vegetable oils (olive oil, peanut oil)
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Peanut butter and almond butter
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the lawyer
Polyunsaturated fats
Polyunsaturated fats contain essential fatty acids that the body cannot synthesize on its own. They must therefore be provided by food.
Foods and oils of plant origin are the main sources of polyunsaturated fats. Like monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat may reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering blood cholesterol levels.
Among the polyunsaturated fatty acids, the famous Omega 3, particularly beneficial for the heart, the nervous system, the brain, the skin, the eyes, the osteoarticular system and for improving insulin sensitivity.
Omega-3s seem to not only lower the risk of coronary artery disease, but also help lower blood pressure and guard against irregular heartbeats.
The following oily fish contain omega-3 fatty acids:
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The salmon
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herring
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Sardines
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Trout
Omega-3s are also found in flax, walnuts, organic eggs and canola oil, although these contain a less active form of this fatty acid than in fatty fish.
Omega 6 are also polyunsaturated fats. They are mainly found in the following foods:
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Tofu
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Roasted soy beans and soy nut butter
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Nuts
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Seeds (sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds)
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Vegetable oils (corn oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, sunflower oil)
Fake bad fats
We know we need to focus on unsaturated fats, avoid trans fatty acids and limit our intake of saturated fats. Yet some of these fats are, despite their structure, conducive to good health and better body composition.
Organic butter
Although very rich in saturated fatty acids, it also contains vitamins A and D, as well as omega 6 and omega 3 with a ratio between the two equivalent to rapeseed oil.
coconut oil
Coconut oil is made up of saturated fats which oxidize very little during cooking, even at very high temperatures. Too, it contains lauric acid, a natural antiseptic, and medium chain triglycerides. MCTs are a source of fat that is not stored in the body and provides energy that is quickly absorbed by the body. Be careful, however, not to abuse the coconut oil and reserve its use for cooking.
In summary
Also to read
Superfoods: these foods that can change your life
Burn fat with omega 3
The benefits of coconut oil
Why you should eat avocado every day
