Diet and Exercise Planning: Trans Fats
Learn more about today’s diet and exercise planning tip, trans fats.
Dietary fats are not created equal. The common diet conscious individual avoids any and all dietary fat. Some dietary fats are necessary for life. With a more specific dietary fat watch on the mind, the right food choices can be easier for a heart healthy dieter. Here we will talk about a few dietary fats.
Omega-3 fats are a type of polyunsaturated fat. The omega-3 fatty acids (linolenic acid) are found primarily in plants and in fish oils. The omega-3 fatty acids contain DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). Omega-6 and omega-3 fats are considered essential fatty acids and are associated with a lowered risk of heart disease.
Trans fats are chemically an unsaturated fat. However, in the body trans fats behave like saturated fats. Why can this be bad for us? Trans fats increase serum LDL’s (low density lipoproteins) but not the body’s HDL levels (high density lipoproteins). With this shift in LDL levels, trans fats increase the risk of heart disease.
Trans fatty acids can be introduced into the diet in ways most are not aware of. Polyunsaturated oils become exposed to hydrogen at high temperatures, during hydrogenation. The high heat alters the chemical structure of the polyunsaturated fat. The new form of the polyunsaturated fat is the trans fat. The reason this happens to polyunsaturated fats is because of the double bonds. The exposure of the double bonds to hydrogen allows them to be oxidized. Most margarines and baked goods contain hydrogenated polyunsaturated oils. It is best for your health to avoid trans fats. If you plan to cook at high heat, such as frying. Instead, use a monounsaturated fat like olive oil.
by Kristy Haugen
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