monounsaturated fats?

Question

what are monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats? are they good or bad for me?

Answer 1

this is going to be a long one to explain as its really detailed if you want to know.. but alas there is a third fats that you did not mention, its call the trans fat, I bet you have heard of it. its all actually about good and the bad here goes.

1. Saturated Fats: In saturated fats, the carbon atoms contain all the hydrogen atoms they can hold, thus the term "saturated." Saturated fats are usually solid at room temperature.

Saturated fats are found mostly in animal products such as milk, butter, ice cream, cheese, lard and the fat found on meat. In plants, saturated fats are found in tropical oils such as coconut and palm.

Saturated fats play the single greatest role in raising blood cholesterol and putting us at greater risk for heart disease.

2. Unsaturated Fats:

1. Monosaturated Fats: Monounsaturated fats come from vegetables. They remain liquid at room temperature, but become less fluid when refrigerated.

Monosaturated fats are found in canola, olive and peanut oils, avocados, olives and many nuts and seeds.

2. Polysaturated Fats: Polyunsaturated fats also come from vegetables, but they remain liquid both at room temperature and when refrigerated.

Polyunsaturated fats are found in corn, sunflower, safflower and soybean oils, fish, mayonnaise and many nuts and seeds.

Unsaturated fats are better for you than saturated fats.

3. Hydrogenated or Trans Fats: Hydrogenated fats are created from unsaturated vegetable fats through a process that adds hydrogen. The process creates trans fats, which are more like saturated fats. They last longer and remain solid at room temperature, making them more marketable.

Trans fats are found in margarine, many commercially baked goods including cookies, crackers, doughnuts and pastries, and many deep-fried foods and chips. All the bad stuff we love to eat.

Trans fats raise blood cholesterol, though not as much as saturated fats. They do, however, raise LDL or "bad" cholesterol while lowering HDL or "good" cholesterol. Watch for trans fats on package labels, and where they are not listed watch for ingredients containing partially hydrogenated and hydrogenated oils.

If you use margarine, note that softer margarines have been hydrogenated less and therefore contain fewer trans fats. Tub margarine is usually better for you than stick margarine because it is less hydrogenated. There are also butter and margarine substitutes available that contain neither cholesterol nor trans fats.

A food containing no animal products and labeled "cholesterol free" would look like a healthy food to anyone. But look closely. If it contains hydrogenated oils (trans fats), it could be unhealthy for everyone.

The actual content of a particular fat is not as clearly defined as these descriptions would lead you to believe. For example, beef fat is listed as saturated, but its actual content is just over half saturated. Olive oil is listed as monounsaturated, but its actual content is just over three-quarters monounsaturated.

Olive oil is so often referred to as being a healthier fat that you might think of it as being healthy. But it is still pure fat, and 14% of it is saturated. hope that cleared things up. Cheers!