Tip 21: Avoid Trans-Fats and Saturated Fats

We hear so much about trans-fats and saturated fats these days, but what are they and why are they bad for us?  Saturated fatty acids come from animal fats and tropical oils such as palm and coconut and have been shown to raise bad (LDL) cholesterol levels.  Because they come from animal fats, the foods that contain saturated fatty acids also contain cholesterol.  Thus, these foods can be doubly dangerous to the heart.  Unsaturated fatty acids come from vegetable oils and do not increase cholesterol levels.  In fact, many unsaturated fats reduce cholesterol levels.

Because saturated fatty acids were found to be bad for you a couple decades ago, the food industry wanted to switch to using unsaturated fatty acids. Unfortunately, unsaturated fatty acids become rancid relatively quickly. To combat the instability of unsaturated fatty acids, manufacturers began to "hydrogenate" them, a process that makes them more stable. The result was a more solid and longer lasting form of vegetable oil, called "partially hydrogenated" oil.

Unfortunately, when unsaturated vegetable fats are subjected to the process of hydrogenation, a new type of fatty acid is formed. This new type of fatty acid is called trans-fatty acid. So when manufacturers began substituting partially hydrogenated vegetable oils for saturated fats in processed foods, they began adding relatively large amounts of trans-fatty acids to the typical diet.

Unfortunately, trans-fatty acids increase total cholesterol levels and bad (LDL) cholesterol levels, and reduce good (HDL) cholesterol levels. In other words, trans-fatty acids are detrimental to cardiac health.

Are all fats bad?  No.  In fact, unsaturated fats can lower your cholesterol.  Omega 3 fatty acids have been demonstrated to reduce the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure.  Palmitoleic acid (a mono-unsaturated fatty acid found in macadamia nuts) may not lower cholesterol, but it aids in fat metabolism and may help reduce stored body fat.  Foods such as fish, almonds, walnuts, and avocados are rich in these types of healthy fats.  Increasing the amount of healthy fats while decreasing the saturated fats and trans-fats in your diet will reduce your risk of heart disease.