We all know that a healthy diet should consist of proteins which are good for building muscle, carbohydrates which are the bodies’ main source of energy and fats which supply essential nutrients such as fat-soluble vitamins and essential fatty acids to name but a few benefits. But do we know the difference between good and bad fats?
A fat-component is a concentrated source of energy. Just 1g of fat provides more than double the calories that are in 1g of protein or carbohydrate. This means it's much easier to consume too many calories if your diet consists of mainly high-fat foods.
Here I will explain fats, and what type of it should be in your daily diet, as well as which one should not!
There are two separate groups of fats, saturated and unsaturated.
Saturated-fats are those that are found mainly in meat and other animal products, such as dairy. Saturated-fats are also found in many products within the food industry such as junk foods, baked goods, and snack foods. A certain amount of saturated-fat is good for your diet, however, these ones are increasingly recognised as being unhealthy and so eating highly saturated-fatty foods too often can raise your cholesterol levels and in turn can increase your risk of heart disease.
Unsaturated-fats are those found in such foods as avocados, nuts and seeds, oily fish and olive oils. These ones are much better for you and in opposition to saturated-fat can help reduce blood cholesterol levels and can also provide you with the essential fatty acids that your body needs.
Both saturated-fat and unsaturated-fat contain the same amount of calories, but where possible, you should ensure the fat you eat is unsaturated. This is not to say that you cannot eat those little unhealthy treats, just have them in moderation. This will insure that your diet is both healthy and balanced.
Now you know the difference between these two groups it should be easier to make better and healthier choices.
