Good Fat Vs. Bad Fat

Not all fats are bad, and in attempting to lower your cholesterol levels and decrease your chances of heart disease, it is not necessary to avoid all dietary fats—just the bad ones. Good fat actually decreases high cholesterol and keeps your cardiovascular system much healthier.

The Bad Fats

• Saturated fat:- This kind of fat is what can lead to high cholesterol caused by diet. This is an unhealthy fat located in animal products like beef, lamb, pork, butter, cheese, cream and other whole-milk dairy products. Some plant oils, like coconut oil, also include saturated fat.

• Trans fats:- Trans fats and hydrogenated fats are dietary fats made when processed; fattening ingredients like margarine and shortening are made. Many treated foods, commercially prepared baked goods, and fried foods contain trans and hydrogenated fats, which when ingested lead to high cholesterol.

• Cholesterol:- Cholesterol is in reality a fat-like substance that we get in our diet by consuming chicken, beef, pork, eggs, and whole-milk dairy products—many of the same foods that contain saturated fats. Restricting the intake of foods with high cholesterol content boosts heart health and lowers cholesterol.

Good Fats

• Polyunsaturated fat:- This unsaturated fat is found in healthy, cholesterol-lowering foods like flaxseeds, sunflower seeds and walnuts. Omega-3 fats are a type of polyunsaturated fat. You can bulk up on this good fat by consuming fish two to three times a week; try great sources like salmon and mackerel. Plant oils are also a good source of polyunsaturated fats (sunflower, corn and soybean oils).

• Monounsaturated fat:- This unsaturated fat is found in certain plant oils, such as olive and canola oils. You can also get this good fat in your diet by eating nuts (such as pecans, almonds and hazelnuts), seeds (including pumpkin and sesame) and avocados.

If you are suffering from high cholesterol, make these smart and tasteful changes to your meals to satisfy your heart and your appetite.

• Get butter out of the pan.

• Ditch the beef.

• Choose fish.

• Snack crunchy, not greasy.

• Add avocado.

• Slim down your dairy.

• Enjoy egg whites.