Dietary fats for better health

Good dietary fat is essential for good health. Dietary fat is required for good development, growth and it is also a source of energy. Cells would be able unable to be formed properly and the body would not be able to expunge chemicals and hormones in the right way.

Fat helps to protect the bones in the body and regulates temperature in the body. The spinal cord, liver, kidneys, heart and brain are surrounded by fat so that these organs are protected.

If fat is so essential then why do so many people speak about fat as though it is a death sentence? It is important to realize that fat is much more dense than protein and carbohydrates. Every gram of fat contains 9 calories and this is quite expensive as far as calories go. The human body holds onto calories from fat more easily than calories from carbohydrates.

Dietary fats are used to make food taste great. Ice cream has its smooth texture due to dietary fats. Baked goods are more flaky due to dietary fats. They give crackers and cookies the ability leave us feeling fuller for longer than protein and carbohydrates do. Sadly, fats are also responsible for causing people to gain weight and can be responsible for the onset of cardiac disease. Diabetes and cancer are two other bad diseases that are linked to excessive intake of fats.

Contrary to popular belief, dietary fats are not only found in butter and margarine, they are in most of the foods that we consume. Meat and dairy products contain saturated fats as they come from animal products. These fats increase the LDL levels in cholesterol and this is linked to heart disease.

There are other healthier fat options that are available to us and they are monounsaturated fats. Olive oil, almond oil, canola oil, peanut butter, peanuts and avocados are all great sources of monounsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats lower the bad cholesterol (LDL) and raise the good cholesterol (HDL).

Mackerel and salmon contain polyunsaturated fats and while these do lower the bad cholesterol, they can also lower the good cholesterol if taken in excessive quantities. The exception to this is omega-3 polyunsaturated fats that are found in tuna and salmon. This dietary fat in fact protects against cerebro vascular accidents and coronary thrombosis.

Moderation and the right choices are key to consuming fats that will benefit us. Adults should endeavor to consume about 60 grams of total calories of fat. If you consume 2000 calories per day then 20 grams should be saturated fats and 20-40 grams should be poly and mono-unsaturated fats. If you feel that your diet contains too much fat then there are changes that you can make to your diet. You should increase your intake of fruits and vegetable and use lean cuts of meat and low fat dairy products.

In conclusion, it is the body needs the right balance of vitamins and minerals to function properly. When the body gets the right balance of vitamins and minerals then it it is less likely to crave the wrong food choices. Certain minerals are helpful in getting the body rid of toxins.