Oils / Fats Food Nutrition

Wherever you turn, you'll hear the words "Eat less fat". However, there are three different types of fat: 'the good' and 'the bad' and 'the ugly'. The good fats are found in such foods as fish, nuts, vegetables, seeds and olive oil, and are called essential fatty acids, and are required to stay fit and healthy. They can actually helpyou to lose weight, used in conjunction with a healthy balanced diet.

The bad fats are called saturated fat, and are found in such foods as butter and red meat, cakes, biscuits, sweets, chocolate, and can raise the body's cholesterol levels, which in turn increases the risk of heart disease. Try to avoid the bad fats at all cost!

Last, but not least, there are the ugly fats, which are called trans-fatty acids, formed when vegetable oils become hydrogenated, and can be found in margarine, deep fat frying oil, and lots of processed food. Trans fatty acics can increase the risk of coronary heart disease massively as they increase the levels of LDL cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein), and reduce the HDL particles which usually counteract the LDL.