Fats are not always bad. Know the benefits, side effects of fats and how to consume fats moderately. You can control body fat and stay healthy if you understand fats better.
It is a well-known fact that most heart diseases are caused due to fats and calories we consume. But still it is difficult for some people to control themselves and stop over consumption of fats. This is because sometimes people are unaware about health issues while eating. It is not bad to consume fats but it has to be consumed in the right quantity and types.
Our body requires a balanced diet to stay healthy and fit. It will be harmful for our body if we completely eliminate fats from our diet. We require fat but in varying quantities. From pregnant women to babies, children, athletes, and working people fats are a must for all. The only thing is that the consumption pattern of fats should be different in each case. Read on, to know some helpful facts about fat consumption.
Importance of nutrients in foods
Sometimes people unconsciously consume excessive food because it tastes good. On the contrary when people are on diet they completely eliminate certain food items from their diet. Like vitamins, proteins and carbohydrates, fats are equally important for our body. Have a quick look at what will happen if you consume particular fat content products in moderate quantity.
Cheese
Handful of people can imagine sandwiches and pizzas without cheese. Though it has a high content of saturated fat it also provides calcium, protein and phosphorous to our body. Rather making cheese a part of your every day diet you can consume it occasionally. You can opt for low fat cheese like goat cheese or cheddar cheese. If you cannot stop regular consumption of cheese, dust a little over your pizzas and sandwiches. You can sprinkle aged cheese if you just want to add flavour to your favourite dishes.
Butter
Butter consists of saturated fats which are harmful for heart. Healthy individuals within the age group of 25 to 50 can consume not more than a table spoonful of butter each day. Such consumption is only applicable if the person does not have heart diseases. If butter is an inseparable ingredient of your diet you can prefer daily workouts for burning calories. This will help you to stay away from heart diseases in future.
Mayonnaise
A tablespoon of mayonnaise consists of 5 milligrams of cholesterol. If you are active into practicing aerobics daily you can enjoy a tablespoonful of mayonnaise each day. If you do not exercise regularly avoid eating mayonnaise. You can consume it during weekends. You can also prefer low fat mayonnaise over regular which is easily available in market.
Ghee
Ghee adds a special flavour to Indian food. In many Indian dishes ghee is an inseparable ingredient. Ghee is very nutritive and can be preferred by athletes, diet conscious people and people doing field work. It is free from hydrogenated oils as well as lactose. It can be used for cooking as a substitute for cooking oil. Consumption of ghee is good for getting a healthier skin. A specific quantity of ghee consumed each day provides health benefits. You can prefer to put a small spoon of ghee over hot rice while having your lunch or dinner.
Margarine
Margarine is a substitute for butter. Consumption of margarine leads to the intake of Trans fats which are bad for health. You can use soft margarine which contains very low saturated as well as Trans fats.
Which are the good fats and the bad fats?
Have a quick look at the benefits and harms of consuming good and bad fats respectively with the help of the following table.
| Good fats |
Food containing good fats |
Benefits |
| Poly unsaturated fats |
Fish oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, soybean oil, cottonseed oil, sesame oil etc. | It is a source of omega 6 fats. Its consumption results in low risk of coronary heart disease. |
| Mono saturated fats | Nuts, olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, avocado etc. |
It is a source of omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids which are good for the development of nervous system of baby in the womb. It is good for coping with depression during pregnancy. |
Though these fats are good for health make sure that you do not over consume them. Remember anything in excess can be bad.
| Bad fats |
Food containing bad fats |
Harms |
| Trans fats |
Chips, fries, burgers, packed food, processed food having longer shelf life, hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils etc. |
It causes obesity and heart diseases.
|
| Saturated fats |
Margarine, butter, meat, whole milk, dairy products, coconut, ice-cream, lard, palm and palm kernel oil etc. | It can cause obesity and heart diseases. |
It is good if you control these types of fats in your diet but do not completely ignore them. You can prefer to have them occasionally.
Advantages of consuming fats
Here is a list of certain benefits which can be earned by moderate consumption of fats.
Disadvantages of consuming excessive fats
Excessive consumption of fats can cause following harms so prevent consuming excessive fat and stay away form these harms.
- It can cause obesity
- It can cause major heart disorders
- It can cause compression of internal organs which can affect usual functions like eating or breathing
- Excessive consumption of fats can cause small bumps due to the collection of fats which are known as lipomas. They commonly occur on thighs and arms but can occur on any other part of body.
Overdoing even a good thing can have bad effects. For example, drinking lots of water is good for health but over consumption can cause water poisoning. You should understand the needs of your body. It does not mean that you should not consume fats. A little fat in diet is not bad but avoiding it completely can be. So consume a proper diet consisting of each and every component necessary for your body. Good luck for having a healthy and nutritious life.
Do you know the advantages of consuming fats? Do you avoid consuming fats? How can we consume fats in moderation? To share your tips, views, and experiences, click here.
