Fats are essential for proper development and health maintenance. They are a source of stored energy and aid in the transportation of important fat-soluble vitamins. Their complete omission from the diet is not recommendable, though you should consume them as recommended and opt for healthy sources.
Types Of Fats
The 3 types of fats include:
- Saturated fats –obtained mainly from animal sources including poultry, lamb, beef, lard, and dairy products such as butter, cheese, ghee, and cured meats. Certain plant oils such as palm oil and coconut oil also contain saturated fats.
- Unsaturated fats– mainly from plant-based sources. Can be classified as either monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats. Examples include; olive oils, peanuts, and canola oils.
- Hydrogenated fats-formed through the hydrogenation process, which involves the hardening of unsaturated fats.
Chemical Structures Of These Fats:
In regards to their chemical structures, saturated fats only have single bonds while unsaturated fats contain double bonds. The number of double bonds contained in an unsaturated fat is what differentiates monounsaturated fats from polyunsaturated fats. From their name mono-,mono-unsaturated fats contain only 1 double bond while polyunsaturated fats contain more than 1 double bond.
Additionally, depending on the arrangement of the carbon chains across 1 or more double bonds, unsaturated fats can assume either a cis or trans configuration. Double bonds with the cis configuration contain hydrogen atoms on the same side of the hydrocarbon chain whilst double bonds in the trans configuration contain hydrogen atoms on opposite sides of the chain.
Most natural fats and oils contain cis fatty acids only. Whereas trans fatty acids are formed through the chemical processing of unsaturated fats. Therefore, hydrogenated fats are mainly unsaturated fats that have undergone processing through partial hydrogenation to be hardened or solidified.
Sources of these fats include:
Several sources of fats contain both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. For instance, canola oils contain high amounts of monounsaturated fats but they also contain some polyunsaturated fats. Others like avocados, olives, cashew nuts, and peanuts contain high amounts of monounsaturated fats.
Sources of fats such as fish, corn oil, walnuts, sunflower, cotton seed oil as well as some vegetables like lettuce, broccoli and spinach contain polyunsaturated fats.
Hydrogenated fats constitute margarine and vegetable shortening, and are mostly found in baked foods, packaged snacks, fried foods and some dairy products.
Note: Unsaturated fats are especially important to your health.
Importance Of Monounsaturated Fats
- Monounsaturated fats are linked to lowering LDL (harmful cholesterol) levels in your blood and thus can decrease your risk of heart disease.
Note : Lipoproteins (which constitute fats and proteins) are important in transporting cholesterol through the body. They attach to cholesterol and move it to where it is required. There are 2 types of lipoproteins; high-density lipoproteins (HDL) and low-density lipoproteins (LDL).LDL carries a great amount (approximately ¾ )of the cholesterol in the blood whereas HDL carries fewer amounts of fats. LDL transports cholesterol to the body’s tissues while HDL transports it from the blood to the liver. High LDL levels reflect high amounts of cholesterol ,and indicate an elevated risk of heart disease.
- They also offer vital nutrients suitable for the development and maintenance of your body’s cells.
- Contain significant amounts of vitamin E – antioxidant (a substance that offers protective benefits to cells from damage caused by free radicals(unstable molecules that can cause diseases such as cancer).
Importance Of Polyunsaturated Fats
- Polyunsaturated fats are also associated with reducing LDL cholesterol.
- They contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that are essential to the body for cell development and brain functions.
- Reduce inflammation -the essential fatty acids, particularly omega 3 fatty acids contained in polyunsaturated fats have been linked to reducing inflammation.
Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are associated with lowering blood pressure and the level of LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, subsequently prompting an increase in HDL cholesterol that transports cholesterol back to the liver for recycling or excretion.
Fish and fish oils, particularly provide preventive effects against the development of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. These oils not only reduce blood pressure levels, LDL and triglycerides but also repress the development of smooth muscle cells within the arterial walls.
In comparison to other animal proteins, soy protein is associated with reduced likelihood of hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis.
Of much emphasis, trans fats pose harmful effects on human health. They contribute an increase in LDL, which in turn causes a decrease in HDL cholesterol – implying that less cholesterol is transported to the liver for excretion or recycling, as a result increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. As such, there is no safe level of trans fats intake.Instead you should limit their intake.
In the next post, the essential fatty acids -omega 3 and 6 we’ll be examined.