What IS The Difference In Fats Anyway?

I always see articles online and see other stories about fat, obesity, etc., etc. and even though I know some fat is needed in any diet, when I try to figure it out my eyes spin. Here is what I think I know.

Fats are made up of hydrogen, oxygen and carbon. A fat with more hydrogen is considered more saturated than those with less hydrogen. Saturated fats are not as healthy as unsaturated.

So how does that translate to our diet?

Saturated fat is usually solid at room temperature and is found mostly in meat and dairy products. Coconut and palm oil also contain saturated fat. These fats raise your total cholesterol and your LDL, or "bad," cholesterol, which puts us at a higher risk of getting heart disease. The total daily limit of calories from saturated fats should be less than 7 percent.

Trans fats are vegetable oil with hydrogen artificially added. These are to be avoided as much as possible. Many commercial bakery goods and fried foods in fastfood restaurants have trans fat. These not only raise your LDL cholesterol, but also lower the HDL, or "good," cholesterol. Trans fats should be less than 1 percent of your daily calorie intake.

Monounsaturated fat has less hydrogen than either saturated or trans fat. It lowers total and LDL cholesterol and raises HDL cholesterol. Canola, olive and peanut oils are good sources of monounsaturated fat.

Polyunsaturated fat contains even less hydrogen than monounsaturated. It has the same health advantages as monounsaturated fat. The majority of your intake of fats should be from these two. Look for safflower, corn or soybean oils. Omega-3 fatty acids, found mostly in fish, are especially beneficial for heart health.

Unless you have all the fats memorized the best thing to do is check food labels to see what types of fat and how much of each a food has in it. Even if it is a good fat there are calories to be considered also. Remember, each gram of fat has 2 times the calories in a protein or carbohydrate.

We learn over the years that we need to balance our diets with the right combination of fats protein and carbs in order to eat well. Good luck!

Healthy Vs. Lousy Cholesterol

I read an interesting article that Lisa Nelson wrote in healthcentral.com about low density lipoprotein LDL and VLDL very low density lipoprotein. I must admit I have a terrible time remembering all the acronyms, or which is good and bad, so let me see if I got this straight.

First off I need to raise HDL, High Density Lipoprotein or as I like to call it “Healthy” Cholesterol and lower triglycerides, VLDL and LDL.

Let's begin with Food. If we eat too much it provides more energy (calories) than we need right away. The liver breaks down some the carbohydrates and protein and forms triglycerides (fat) and cholesterol.

Oil (fat) and water (blood) don’t mix, so the liver coats the fat (triglycerides) with a protein, cholesterol, and phospholipid shell. The final product is called a lipoprotein (lipo or lipid = fat).

Lipoproteins transport cholesterol, fat, and proteins throughout our systems. LDL (low density lipoprotein) and VLDL (very low density lipoprotein) transport mostly fat and cholesterol, but differ in the amount of each.

When the liver releases VLDL into circulation, enzymes in the bloodstream interact with the triglycerides within the lipoprotein and change the package from "very low density" to "low density". LDL is "less dense" than VLDL.

If you have high LDL levels, an oxidation process takes place that leads to plaque development in your artery walls, damage to vessel linings, and heart disease. Eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants, such as vitamin C and vitamin E may slow or inhibit this oxidation process.

So, what does this all mean?

LDL and VLDL are both "lipoprotein packages" in your blood. Both are considered bad types of cholesterol. I remember this by telling myself that L stands for “Lousy”

They differ in what each package carries.

LDL (low-density lipoprotein) "Lousy" cholesterol carries mostly cholesterol, some protein, and minimal triglycerides throughout your circulation. LDL should be less than 130 mg/dl, ideally less than 100 mg/dl.

VLDL (very low-density lipoprotein) "Very Lousy" cholesterol contains minimal protein and mainly transports triglycerides.

To prevent VLDL and LDL from clogging your arteries, follow a diet to lower cholesterol and consume antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.