Types of Fat & How They Interact With the Heart

Fat is an essential nutrient that helps your body function properly. Aside from being an energy source fat is used to produce hormones, carry vitamins from food into your body and it helps maintain health hair and skin. Fat is also used in cooking to flavor foods, beware though not all fats have the same interactions with your body. While there is more than one type of fat, regardless of the one fat gram has 9 calories where as protein and carbohydrates have 4 calories per gram.

Saturated fat

• Increases bad cholesterol (LDL)
• Increases total cholesterol
• May be linked to increased risk for heart disease and cancer

Polyunsaturated fat

• Decrease bad cholesterol (LDL)
• Decreases good cholesterol (HDL)
• Decreases total blood cholesterol

Monounsaturated fat

• Decreases bad cholesterol (LDL)
• Protects good cholesterol (HDL)
• Is less likely to oxidize

Omega-3 Fatty acids

• A polyunsaturated fat
• Found in: some fish, particularly fatty types prevalent in cold water, such as salmon, mackerel, and herring. Also found in smaller amounts in green leafy vegetables, soybeans, nuts, flaxseed and canola oil.
• It may:
  • Lower blood triglyceride level (triglycerides are a form of fat that the body makes from sugar, alcohol or excess calories. An excess of triglycerides in the blood may lead to hardening of the arteries)
  • Reduce your risk of blood clots
  • Lower blood pressure
• To reap the heart benefits dietitians generally recommend at least two meals of fish every week.
  

Trans Fats

• Created when manufacturers partially hydrogenate liquid oils to make them more solid, more shelf stable, and less greasy-tasting.
• Raise blood cholesterol as much as saturated fat
• May increase the risk of heart disease and other health problems
• Lowers good cholesterol
• Found in
  • Margarines, many french fries, fried chicken or fish, pies, cakes, cookies, crackers, cereals, frostings, doughnuts and other foods made with shortening.
• Presently trans-fats are not listed of food label. Look for "hydrogenated oil" or "partially hydrogenated oil" on ingredient lists
• In 2006 trans fats will begin appearing on food labels