Different Fats in the diet

Some type of Cooking oil(Elianto)and Magarine(Gold Band) manufactured in Kenya.





Cholesterol will not mix with water, and therefore needs some assistance to travel throughout the blood stream. With the help of a form of cholesterol HDL (high density lipoprotein), packets of cholesterol are formed to help move cholesterol through the blood. HDL helps remove cholesterol from the body by transporting it to the liver. Another form of cholesterol is LDL (low density lipoprotein). LDL does not aid in the transportation of cholesterol out of the body, instead it deposits cholesterol onto the vessel wall. LDL molecules contain much more cholesterol than HDL molecules.

Endogenous fat transportation begins when the liver secretes a Very Low Density Lipoprotein particle (VLDL). When a VLDL particle reaches the capillary of muscle or adipose tissue, its triglyceride is extracted leaving an Intermediate Density Lipoprotein (IDL). Half of the IDL particles are removed from circulation by the liver within two to six hours of their formation. The remaining IDL transform into Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL) which circulate for approximately two and a half days before binding to LDL receptors in the liver and other tissues.

• Saturated fat tends to increase blood cholesterol levels. Most saturated fats tend to be solid at room temperature, with the exception of tropical oils.

What are the Main Sources of Saturated Fat?

In general, the main sources of saturated fat are from animal products: red meat and whole-milk dairy products, including cheese, sour cream, ice cream and butter. But there are also plant-based sources of saturated fat, principally coconut oil and coconut milk, palm kernel oil, cocoa butter, and palm oil. And while you probably don’t go to the store and buy these—with the exception of coconut milk—these plant-based saturated fats crop up in a number of commercially prepared products. Cocoa butter is in chocolate. Coconut oil and palm oils are in anything from non-dairy whipped toppings and coffee creamers, to cookies and cakes.

Saturated fatty acids

Saturated fatty acids have all the hydrogen the carbon atoms can hold. Saturated fats are usually solid at room temperature, and they're more stable — that is, they don't combine readily with oxygen. Saturated fats and trans fats are the main dietary factors in raising blood cholesterol. The main sources of saturated fat in the typical American diet are foods from animals and some plants.

What are trans fats?

Trans fats are unsaturated, but they can raise total and LDL ("bad") cholesterol and lower HDL ("good") cholesterol. Trans fats result from adding hydrogen to vegetable oils used in commercial baked goods and for cooking in most restaurants and fast-food chains.

• Cookies, crackers and other commercial baked goods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils may be high in trans fat.

• French fries, donuts and other commercial fried foods are major sources of trans fat in the diet.

What are hydrogenated fats?

During food processing, fats may undergo a chemical process called hydrogenation. "Hydrogenate" means to add hydrogen or, in the case of fatty acids, to saturate. The process changes liquid oil, naturally high in unsaturated fatty acids, to a more solid and more saturated form. The greater the degree of hydrogenation, the more saturated the fat becomes. Many commercial products contain hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. Recent studies suggest that these fats may raise blood cholesterol.

What are polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids?

Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids are two types of unsaturated fatty acids. Unsaturated fats have at least one unsaturated bond — that is, at least one place that hydrogen can be added to the molecule. They're often found in liquid oils of vegetable origin.

• Polyunsaturated oils are liquid at room temperature and in the refrigerator. They easily combine with oxygen in the air to become rancid.

• Monounsaturated oils are liquid at room temperature but start to solidify at refrigerator temperatures.
Polyunsaturated fats tend to help your body get rid of newly formed cholesterol. Thus, they keep the blood cholesterol level down and reduce cholesterol deposits in artery walls. Recent research has shown that monounsaturated fats may also help reduce blood cholesterol as long as the diet is very low in saturated fat.
Both types of unsaturated fats may help lower your blood cholesterol level when used in place of saturated fats in your diet. But you should be moderate in eating all types of fat, because fats contain more than twice the calories of either protein or carbohydrate.

Polyunsaturated or monounsaturated oils — and margarines and spreads made from them — should be used in limited amounts in place of fats with a high saturated fat content, such as butter, lard or hydrogenated shortenings

Quick Ways to Reduce Saturated Fat in Our Diet

• Substitute low-fat or fat-free versions of milk and dairy products for their full-fat counterparts
• Eat red meat only occasionally, choose lean cuts, and eat smaller portions of it
• Always remove the skin from poultry after cooking
• Eat fish at least twice a week
• Go meatless at least once a week
• Use liquid vegetable oils, such as canola or olive oil, over solid fats such as butter
• Flavor foods with herbs and spices instead of fat-laden toppings and sauces
• Increase intake of whole grains, fruits and vegetables