Saturated and unsaturated fats – which are healthy?

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Saturated and unsaturated fats – which are healthy?
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Despite appearances fats are a key component of a healthy diet. Without them absorption of vitamins A, D, E and K, very important for the proper functioning of the body, would be much more difficult

Composing a meal, however, it is worth paying attention to the division of fats into saturated and unsaturated. Which are essential in the diet, and which are better to avoid?

Good or bad?

It might seem that the answer to this question should be simple. After all, if something is good for our body, we should take it, preferably in large doses. In the case of fats, unfortunately, this rule does not work in practice. But how is it easiest to divide them?

Saturated fatty acids are called those unhealthy fats. They have a solid consistency and are found primarily in products of animal origin, such as butter, lard and red meat. Healthy fats are unsaturated fatty acids. These are found in plant-based products such as canola oil, algae and walnuts.

Essential fatty acids

This is what experts call unsaturated fatty acids. Why? The human body is unable to produce them on its own, which is why we need to take them in

Even if you think that fats are bad, you cannot fully limit them! The human body needs all essential nutrients to function properly. Fats are as important as proteins or carbohydrates and you are not able to replace them with something else. It is unsaturated fats that help maintain proper cholesterol levels in your body. They protect you from diseases and also from cold!

So choose products of plant origin. Instead of butter, choose high quality margarine for spreading or rapeseed oil for frying. Saturated fatty acids are also found in fish, so it is better for your body if you replace red meat with sea fish

Harmful fatty acids

We are, of course, talking about the second type of fatty acids, namely saturated fatty acids. These are the ones that increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis. This is because when consumed in excess, they increase the level of the so-called bad cholesterol in the body, and also contribute to an increase in blood pressure.

What products should be avoided? The source of saturated fatty acids are products of animal origin, so consumed in excess dairy, cold cuts and meat can affect your health negatively.

Main photo: Pixabay/pexels.com

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