Healthy Fats make for a Healthy Heart
A typical heart healthy diet usually, and rightfully, includes lots of whole grains, veggies, fruits, and low fat dairy and protein sources, but fewer than half of Americans know that consuming healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats in the form of nuts, seeds, avocados, fish and oils can help reduce their risk of heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, dietary fats are essential to give your body energy and to support cell growth. They help protect your organs, keep your body warm, absorb some nutrients, and produce important hormones.
Types of Fats
There are four major dietary fats in foods we eat: saturated fats, trans fats, monounsaturated fats, and the polyunsaturated fats. The four types have different chemical structures and physical properties. The bad fats, saturated and trans fats (or hard fats), tend to be more solid at room temperature (like a stick of butter), while the good fats, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, tend to be more liquid like vegetable or olive oils.
The fats in the foods you eat should not total more than 25-35 % of the calories you eat in a given day, and for good health, the majority of those fats should be monounsaturated or polyunsaturated, which include vegetable oils, avocados, peanut butter and seeds such as walnuts and sunflower seeds, and a fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring and trout.
Effects on Cholesterol
Fats can also have different effects on the cholesterol levels in your body. Saturated fats (beef, butter, cheese, milk) and trans fats(deep fried foods, bakery products, packaged snack foods, margarine's, and crackers) increase the risk of coronary artery disease by raising blood cholesterol levels. Trans fats, in particular, raise the LDL (bad) cholesterol and lowers HDL (good) cholesterol. On the other hand monounsaturated fats can lower bad cholesterol levels and are beneficial when consumed in moderation.
How Much is Too Much?
Your body definitely needs fat, but not as much fats as most people eat. There are nine calories in a gram of fat, regardless what type it is. That is a lot of calories compared to carbos and proteins, which contain 4 calories per gram.
Because fats are so energy dense, consuming high levels of fat, regardless of type, can lead to taking in too many calories, which can lead to weight gain. Consuming high levels of saturated or trans fats can also lead to heart disease and stroke. Health experts generally recommend replacing saturated fats and trans fats with monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats, while still limiting the total amount of fat consumed.
Other Ways to Improve Your Heart
Establish and follow a regular exercise program. You should engage in some form of physical activity for at least 30 minutes, several times a week. Consult your family Physician to see what forms of activity are appropriate for your age and physical condition.
Get regular health screenings. High blood pressure and high cholesterol can damage your cardiovascular system, including your heart.
Get a handle on stress. Stress may help contribute to heart disease. Stress can also cause your blood pressure to rise and may lead to unhealthy behaviors such as smoking or binging on unhealthy foods. Take a few minutes out of each day and do something you enjoy!
Gene C.
Types of Fats
There are four major dietary fats in foods we eat: saturated fats, trans fats, monounsaturated fats, and the polyunsaturated fats. The four types have different chemical structures and physical properties. The bad fats, saturated and trans fats (or hard fats), tend to be more solid at room temperature (like a stick of butter), while the good fats, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, tend to be more liquid like vegetable or olive oils.
The fats in the foods you eat should not total more than 25-35 % of the calories you eat in a given day, and for good health, the majority of those fats should be monounsaturated or polyunsaturated, which include vegetable oils, avocados, peanut butter and seeds such as walnuts and sunflower seeds, and a fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring and trout.
Effects on Cholesterol
Fats can also have different effects on the cholesterol levels in your body. Saturated fats (beef, butter, cheese, milk) and trans fats(deep fried foods, bakery products, packaged snack foods, margarine's, and crackers) increase the risk of coronary artery disease by raising blood cholesterol levels. Trans fats, in particular, raise the LDL (bad) cholesterol and lowers HDL (good) cholesterol. On the other hand monounsaturated fats can lower bad cholesterol levels and are beneficial when consumed in moderation.
How Much is Too Much?
Your body definitely needs fat, but not as much fats as most people eat. There are nine calories in a gram of fat, regardless what type it is. That is a lot of calories compared to carbos and proteins, which contain 4 calories per gram.
Because fats are so energy dense, consuming high levels of fat, regardless of type, can lead to taking in too many calories, which can lead to weight gain. Consuming high levels of saturated or trans fats can also lead to heart disease and stroke. Health experts generally recommend replacing saturated fats and trans fats with monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats, while still limiting the total amount of fat consumed.
Other Ways to Improve Your Heart
Establish and follow a regular exercise program. You should engage in some form of physical activity for at least 30 minutes, several times a week. Consult your family Physician to see what forms of activity are appropriate for your age and physical condition.
Get regular health screenings. High blood pressure and high cholesterol can damage your cardiovascular system, including your heart.
Get a handle on stress. Stress may help contribute to heart disease. Stress can also cause your blood pressure to rise and may lead to unhealthy behaviors such as smoking or binging on unhealthy foods. Take a few minutes out of each day and do something you enjoy!
Gene C.
posted by Gene Carbonell at
4:57 PM
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