Fats - The Good, The Bad, and The Healthy Diet

"Eat a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet." Most of us have heard this simple recommendation so often over the past two decades that we can recite it in our sleep. Touted as a way to lose weight and prevent cancer and heart disease, it's no wonder much of the nation - and food producers - hopped on board.Unfortunately, this simple message is now largely out of date. Detailed research shows that the total amount of fat in the diet, whether high or low, isn't really linked with disease. What really matters is the type of fat in the diet. Bad fats increase the risk for certain diseases and good fats lower the risk. The key is to substitute good fats for bad fats.

 The Bad Fats

Some fats are bad because they tend to worsen blood cholesterol levels. 

Saturated Fats - Saturated fats are mainly animal fats. They are found in meat, seafood, whole-milk dairy products (cheese, milk, and ice cream), poultry skin, and egg yolks. Some plant foods are also high in saturated fats, including coconut and coconut oil, palm oil, and palm kernel oil. Saturated fats raise total blood cholesterol levels more than dietary cholesterol because they tend to boost both good HDL and bad LDL cholesterol. The net effect is negative, meaning it's important to limit saturated fats.

Trans Fats - Trans fatty acids are fats produced by heating liquid vegetable oils in the presence of hydrogen. This process is known as hydrogenation. The more hydrogenated an oil is, the harder it will be at room temperature. For example, a spreadable tub margarine is less hydrogenated and so has fewer trans fats than a stick margarine.Most of the trans fats in the Western diet are found in commercially prepared baked goods, margarines, snack foods, and processed foods. Commercially prepared fried foods, like French fries and onion rings, also contain a good deal of trans fat.Trans fats are even worse for cholesterol levels than saturated fats because they raise bad LDL and lower good HDL. While you should limit your intake of saturated fats, it is important to eliminate trans fats from partially hydrogenated oils from your diet. 

The Good Fats

Some fats are good because they can improve blood cholesterol levels. 

Unsaturated Fats--Polyunsaturated and Monounsaturated

Unsaturated fats are found in products derived from plant sources, such as vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds. There are two main categories: polyunsaturated fats (which are found in high concentrations in sunflower, corn, and soybean oils) and monounsaturated fats (which are found in high concentrations in canola, peanut, and olive oils). In studies in which polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats were eaten in place of carbohydrates, these good fats decreased LDL levels and increased HDL levels.

DIETARY FATS
Type of Fat	Main Source	State at Room Temperature	Effect on Cholesterol Levels
Monounsaturated	Olives; olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil; cashews, almonds, peanuts, and most other nuts; avocados	Liquid	Lowers LDL; raises HDL
Polyunsaturated	Corn, soybean, safflower, and cottonseed oils; fish	Liquid	Lowers LDL; raises HDL
Saturated	Whole milk, butter, cheese, and ice cream; red meat; chocolate; coconuts, coconut milk, and coconut oil	Solid	Raises both LDL and HDL
Trans	Most margarines; vegetable shortening; partially hydrogenated vegetable oil; deep-fried chips; many fast foods; most commercial baked goods	Solid or semi-solid	Raises LDL

Choose liquid vegetable oils or a soft tub margarine that is contains little or no trans fats.  Reduce intake of commercially prepared baked goods, snack foods, and processed foods, including fast foods. To be on the safe side, assume that all such produts contain trans fats unless they are labeled otherwise.  When foods containing hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils can't be avoided, choose products that list the hydrogenated oils near the end of the ingredient list.

8 Nutrition tips to get in shape

It takes a lot of hard work and discipline to achieve an enviable toned body. But with some basic nutritional knowledge you could achieve your goals faster than you think.  Getting the right balance of food, exercise and dedication may seem a hard task but putting your mind to it is the first hurdle. For starters, try following these eight essential nutritional tips.

 1. Eat more often!

By spacing out your meals to every 2.5 - 3 hours you will actually help yourself lose weight. Instead of eating 3 large meals a day, divide this into 6 smaller meals. Not only will the more regular flow of nutrients into your body help raise your metabolism (and burn more fat in the long-run), you will also feel less hungry.

 2. Don't forget Breakfast!

Research has shown that people who miss breakfast find it harder to lose weight. Breakfast, in short, is the most important meal of the day and is essential for getting your metabolism firing. Let this be your biggest meal of the day - after all, you've starved yourself for at least 8 hours whilst sleeping.

 3. Take your time

It can take up to 20 minutes for your brain to register that your stomach is full after you have finished eating. Don't rush your food……savour every mouthful. The more slowly you eat, the fuller you're going to feel.

 4. Eat protein at every meal

Put simply, foods high in protein make you feel fuller quicker and for longer. Choose meats such as chicken, turkey, or low fat mince, or any type of fish. Protein is also essential for lean muscle growth and repair.  The more lean muscle we posses the faster we burn body fat.

 5. Cutting the calories

To lose a pound of body fat, you must burn the equivalent of 3500 calories - now how many packets of crisps is that? If you cut your daily calorie intake by 500 calories a day (about a chocolate bar and a bag of crisps), you'll be losing 1 pound a week. Do this for 3 months and you've lost almost a stone! You don't need to become a calorie counting junkie- just remove foods from your diet you don't really need (however tempting). Increasing the amount of cardiovascular exercise will also help burn the fat. Start of slow and build up - try running for 30 minutes 3 times a week and if you've got more energy, try longer/more regular intervals.

 6. Carbs are good

Carbohydrates are NOT the enemy. We need carbohydrates for energy whether for short bursts or long-sustained energy sources. Without carbohydrates our bodies may find it hard to adjust to this inherent energy deficit. You may have heard of the glycemic index. Without going into too much detail, the GI is a ranking of foods based on their immediate effect on blood sugar levels. Higher GI foods (i.e. more sugary) are required after exercise to replenish drained sources and lower GI foods for the rest of the time. As a rule of thumb, stick to complex carbohydrates which take a long time to digest and have a more prolonged release of energy. Foods rich in complex carbohydrates include vegetables, whole grains, and beans.

 7. Drink Enough Water

Water is a fundamental part of our lives. It is easy to forget how completely we depend on it. Aside from aiding in digestion and absorption of food, water regulates body temperature and blood circulation, carries nutrients and oxygen to cells, and removes toxins and other wastes. Among its other benefits, water plays a major part in weight loss. Since water contains no calories, it can serve as an appetite suppressant, and helps the body metabolise stored fat - it may possibly be one of the most significant factors in losing weight. If you find yourself getting hungry quickly, trying drinking a pint of water to curb your appetite.

 8. Try not to eat before bed

If you're trying to lose weight, this is an excellent method to shift the pounds. Clearly our energy levels plummet whilst we sleep hence it is harder for our bodies to burn the excess calories eaten during the late evening. This is often a simple mistake 'dieters' make early on. Save your food for when you're awake!