More On The Good Fats: Unsaturated Fats (Polyunsaturated And Monounsaturated)

Being conscious of the food that we eat is important in maintaining a healthier body and a desirable weight. Aside from avoiding foods high in saturated and trans fats, eating foods high in unsaturated fats is a good way to improve the heart's health and keep the body fit. Because of the wide range of foods that are available today, consumers must be smart in choosing the right kinds of foods that contain the right kinds of fat.

Various foods containing bad fats are widely available because they are very convenient to prepare and purchase. Fast food, junk food and already made meals are among the foods high in trans and saturated fat. This includes commercially-baked goods, whole milk, red meat and other animal products.

Although a lot of foods have bad fats, there are still a number of healthy foods that are high in good fats such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Plant oils like peanut and canola oils have monounsaturated fats, which increase the levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDL) or good cholesterol. HDL helps in reducing the risks of acquiring heart diseases.

It is also a good choice to eat foods rich in polyunsaturated fats because they lower low-density lipoproteins (LDL) or bad cholesterol. Vegetable oils, corn, seafood, like mackerel and anchovies, are some of the foods that contain polyunsaturated fats.As polyunsaturated works in the reduction LDL level, they effectively help the body raise its HDL level. Therefore, it is advisable to eat foods rich in polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat-rich foods.