Types of fat

Fats

   Fat is an important element in the human body as it is involved in a wide range of body functions, such as building cells, protecting internal body organs, maintaining body heat, providing a source of energy, helping to absorb some vitamins from foods, and contributing to the production of hormones necessary to function properly. Proper, so the key to proper nutrition is to have a good balance between fats and other nutrients, and to choose healthy fats in the right quantities since not all types of fats are harmful to health. 

Types of fat 

   Not all types of fats are equal in terms of health, as all foods and oils contain a mixture of fatty acids, but the prevailing type of fats is what makes them good or harmful, as some fats are better than others, and they can help to promote health, so knowing the difference Among the types of fats, it helps to determine which fats should be avoided, and fats to be eaten in moderation, and below is an explanation of the types of fats: 

Good fats: Unsaturated fats are healthy fats that should be included in the diet in moderation. Mostly foods that contain these fats are liquid at room temperature, and here is an explanation of the types of good fats:  

• Monounsaturated fats: As these molecules of these fats are not saturated with hydrogen atoms , each fat molecule has only one hydrogen atom, and these fats can reduce harmful cholesterol levels (LDL), and keep good cholesterol levels HDL) is high, but if a person does not reduce saturated fat intake the cholesterol levels may remain unchanged and may reduce the risk of heart disease and monounsaturated fat sources: olive, olive oil , nuts, peanut butter, and avocado . 

• Polyunsaturated fats: Polyunsaturated fats are completely unsaturated with hydrogen atoms. These fats are beneficial to health, especially those found in fish, called omega-3 fats. Omega-3 helps prevent heart disease by reducing Levels of cholesterol and infections in the blood, and may reduce symptoms associated with joint problems , and some skin diseases, and there is another type of these fats, called omega-6, which is often found in vegetable oils and processed foods, and excessive consumption of omega-6 can cause increased infections inside The body, and from d source Multiple unsaturated hoon: fatty fish like sardines , mackerel, salmon, herring, nuts , seeds, and vegetable oils.

Harmful fats: Most of these fats are considered solid at room temperature, and below is an explanation of the types of harmful fats: 

• Saturated fats: They are solid fats at room temperature, and they are considered completely saturated, as each molecule of fat is saturated with hydrogen atoms. The consumption of saturated fats in large quantities in the long run is associated with increased health risks, as it can cause high levels of Cholesterol, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, strokes, and sources of saturated fat: red meat and meat products, poultry skin, dairy products, coconut oil, palm oil, and cocoa butter. 

• Trans Fat: These fats are produced synthetically by adding hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make them more solid, which are known as Partially hydrogenated oils. These fats are not considered beneficial but rather their consumption causes an increase in their consumption. Harmful cholesterol level , lowering good cholesterol level, increased risk of heart disease, strokesThree times more than the effect of other fats, in addition to increasing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and these fats are considered the worst compared to natural fats, and their use has been prohibited in some countries of the world, and from sources of fats are trans fats: margarine, or margarine (in English: Margarines), or shortening, fried and baked foods such as cakes, pies, desserts, biscuits, pizza dough, fast food and french fries, and any prepared food contains partially hydrogenated oils.

The body needs fat 

     The reference dietary amount (DRI) for fat, which is the amount needed to meet the needs of adults, ranges from 20-35% of total calories, and equals 44-77 grams of fat when consuming 2,000 calories a day, and an explanation of the percentage of fat consumption comes from total calories Thermal:

Types of fat	Consumption of calories
Monounsaturated fats	15-20%
Polyunsaturated fats	5-10%
Saturated fat	Less than 10%
Trans fat	0%

Tips for choosing healthy fats 

    Some changes to the diet can be made by eating foods rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats instead of consuming foods rich in saturated fats, but healthy fats should not be wasted because all types of fats contain high calories, and the following points show some tips for choosing fats Health:

• Avoid trans fats, by checking that the ingredient list does not contain partially hydrogenated fats, and look for the amount of trans fats in the table of nutritional value; 0% trans fats can be included, but they contain less than 0.5 grams of trans fats. 
• Use oil as olive oil instead of hard fats like butter. 
• Eat fish instead of meat at least twice a week to get healthy omega-3 fats, and roast them instead of frying them. 
• Choose lean meats and skinless poultry. 
• Choose healthy snacks, such as fruits, vegetables, and nuts, as most ready-made snacks contain a high percentage of saturated and trans fats.