All There is to Know About Fat and Carbs
It's surprising how little people really know about fat and carbs, since these two elements are important parts of a healthy diet.
Fat and oils should be limited when it comes to how much you have every day, but they're still important and vital.
As with so many things, choices need to be made about how much and the types of fats and oils you have.
For example, lighter oils can be used for cooking and unsaturated fats, rather than saturated, should be chosen.
But why are fats and carbs and oils important in the diet? The body gets energy from these elements as well as uses them to transport other nutrients such as vitamins A, D, E, K, and elements called carotenoids.
Fats also work as building blocks for certain membranes and tissues in the body and are vital for many of their functions.
Severely limiting fat intake can be dangerous; many experts recommend keeping it to less than 20% of one's daily calories but again, balance is needed.
Only a doctor can recommend if you should lower your fat intake to anything less than this.
And the type of fat you ingest is also a factor.
Trans fats, saturated fats, and anything that will raise your cholesterol levels are not healthy.
These things have been associated with an increased risk of heart attacks, heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems.
And of course being overweight is also associated with a diet high in these types of fats.
Most experts agree that the worst fats to ingest are saturated fats and trans fats.
Saturated fats are fats that are solid at room temperature and typically are what you would call animals fats.
So, butter would be such a fat.
The fat in foods that are animal products such as bacon grease would also be considered a saturated fat.
Cholesterol typically comes from foods that are also high in animal fats, such as red meat and eggs.
And remember that dairy foods are made from animal fats, so be careful about ice cream, whole milk, and so on.
Sometimes it's easy to miss the fat contents of foods because of how food labels are written.
Often it gets complicated with how they list fats; usually processed foods will contain a high level of trans fats.
There are however some fats that are better choices for you.
These are called polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats.
These would be found in items like olive oil and canola oil.
Many refer to these as "lighter" oils and using them in your cooking can help you with healthier choices and a healthier diet overall.
These fats are also liquid at room temperature, so keep that in mind when thinking of how to tell the difference.
Some even believe that these fats have healing properties to them! There are even fats that are good for you and that seem to promote good health.
These may include Omega-3 fatty acids as found in fish.
Some believe they even lower cholesterol levels! But what about carbohydrates? These too are part of a healthy diet as they provide energy and other essential nutrients.
These are found in raw fruits and vegetables as well as in items like dairy products and whole grains.
However, like fats, not all carbohydrates are the same and some are not as healthy for you as others.
Whole grains are typically the carbohydrates you want to choose.
When opting for breads and cereals, choose those that have whole grains and avoid those that are refined, meaning processed into white flour.
It's also good to be careful of the amount of sugar you ingest, and this means not just candy but also soda and sugary desserts.
When you eat foods like this, you're taking in a lot of calories for not a lot of foods and this can mean being overweight and having problems with your blood sugar and other such health issues.
There are two typical elements that many people ingest too much of, and this would be salt and sugar.
Salt of course is important to proper nutrition but too much sodium is dangerous, and many people ingest far too much of it.
This can lead to high blood pressure, retaining water, and other serious health concerns.
However, if you choose low sodium foods and put away the salt shaker you may find that you can avoid these and other health concerns.
Fat and oils should be limited when it comes to how much you have every day, but they're still important and vital.
As with so many things, choices need to be made about how much and the types of fats and oils you have.
For example, lighter oils can be used for cooking and unsaturated fats, rather than saturated, should be chosen.
But why are fats and carbs and oils important in the diet? The body gets energy from these elements as well as uses them to transport other nutrients such as vitamins A, D, E, K, and elements called carotenoids.
Fats also work as building blocks for certain membranes and tissues in the body and are vital for many of their functions.
Severely limiting fat intake can be dangerous; many experts recommend keeping it to less than 20% of one's daily calories but again, balance is needed.
Only a doctor can recommend if you should lower your fat intake to anything less than this.
And the type of fat you ingest is also a factor.
Trans fats, saturated fats, and anything that will raise your cholesterol levels are not healthy.
These things have been associated with an increased risk of heart attacks, heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems.
And of course being overweight is also associated with a diet high in these types of fats.
Most experts agree that the worst fats to ingest are saturated fats and trans fats.
Saturated fats are fats that are solid at room temperature and typically are what you would call animals fats.
So, butter would be such a fat.
The fat in foods that are animal products such as bacon grease would also be considered a saturated fat.
Cholesterol typically comes from foods that are also high in animal fats, such as red meat and eggs.
And remember that dairy foods are made from animal fats, so be careful about ice cream, whole milk, and so on.
Sometimes it's easy to miss the fat contents of foods because of how food labels are written.
Often it gets complicated with how they list fats; usually processed foods will contain a high level of trans fats.
There are however some fats that are better choices for you.
These are called polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats.
These would be found in items like olive oil and canola oil.
Many refer to these as "lighter" oils and using them in your cooking can help you with healthier choices and a healthier diet overall.
These fats are also liquid at room temperature, so keep that in mind when thinking of how to tell the difference.
Some even believe that these fats have healing properties to them! There are even fats that are good for you and that seem to promote good health.
These may include Omega-3 fatty acids as found in fish.
Some believe they even lower cholesterol levels! But what about carbohydrates? These too are part of a healthy diet as they provide energy and other essential nutrients.
These are found in raw fruits and vegetables as well as in items like dairy products and whole grains.
However, like fats, not all carbohydrates are the same and some are not as healthy for you as others.
Whole grains are typically the carbohydrates you want to choose.
When opting for breads and cereals, choose those that have whole grains and avoid those that are refined, meaning processed into white flour.
It's also good to be careful of the amount of sugar you ingest, and this means not just candy but also soda and sugary desserts.
When you eat foods like this, you're taking in a lot of calories for not a lot of foods and this can mean being overweight and having problems with your blood sugar and other such health issues.
There are two typical elements that many people ingest too much of, and this would be salt and sugar.
Salt of course is important to proper nutrition but too much sodium is dangerous, and many people ingest far too much of it.
This can lead to high blood pressure, retaining water, and other serious health concerns.
However, if you choose low sodium foods and put away the salt shaker you may find that you can avoid these and other health concerns.
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