What's the difference between saturated and unsaturated FATS?

Ever wondered the difference between the FATS?

Oh! Dont forget that fat is an essential part of our diet and completely cutting it out makes your body store the fat we have, so if your on a no fat diet, get off it! This can be extremely dangerous if you cut out any essential nutrient from your diet.

Fat supplies us with energy and provides linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid for growth, healthy skin and metabolism. It also helps absorb fat-soluble vitamins (A,D,E and K). And, face it, fat adds flavor and is satisfying, making us feel fuller, keeping hunger at bay.

Saturated fats! (the bad fats) These fats are derived from animal products such as meat, dairy and eggs. But they are also found in some plant-based sources such as coconut and palm oils. Saturated fats clog our arteries and directly raise total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. Avoid them as much as possible.

Trans Fats or Hydrogenated Fats! These fats can raise total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels while also lowering HDL (good) cholesterol levels. Trans fats are used to extend the shelf life of processed foods, typically cookies, cakes, fries and donuts. Any item that contains “hydrogenated oil” or “partially hydrogenated oil” likely contains trans fats. Hydrogenation is the chemical process that changes liquid oils into solid fats.

Unsaturated Fats! They are derived from vegetables and plants.

Monounsaturated fats can be found in olives, olive oil, nuts, peanut oil, canola oil and avocados. Some studies have shown that these kinds of fats can actually lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and maintain HDL (good) cholesterol.

Polyunsaturated fats are found in safflower, sesame, corn, cottonseed and soybean oils. This type of fat has also been shown to reduce levels of LDL cholesterol, but too much can also lower your HDL cholesterol.

Omega-3 fatty acids these include an “essential” fatty acid, which means it's critical for our health and cannot be manufactured by our bodies. Good sources include cold-water fish, flax seed, soy, and walnuts. These fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and also boost our immune system. So eat more oily fish!