Not All Fats Are Bad: There is Such a Thing as Bad and Good Cholesterol

  • April 12, 2018
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You often hear and read about how bad fat is; that you should avoid it like a plague because it can increase your risk of cardiovascular diseases. Well, this is true in some ways, but this would depend on the type of fat that you eat. Only the bad fats would do this. You need to eat good fats to keep your body healthy as well. Hence, you must know what the good fats and bad fats are.

The bad fats are fats coming from:

  • Meat fat
  • Dairy products
  • Processed foods

The good fats are fats coming from:

  • Fish
  • Fruits
  • Vegetables
  • Eggs – limited intake

In medical terms, we call the bad fats as bad cholesterol or LDL – Low Density Lipoproteins, and the good fats as good cholesterol or HDL – High Density Lipoproteins. We need the good cholesterol for various physiological functions.

Major Functions of Good Fats in the Body

1. Act as the bio-membrane of the lungs in the form of phospholipid.

2. Fatty Acids (FA) promotes healthy skin and organs and helps in oxygen transportation.

3. Cholesterol is the basic nucleus of steroid hormones; so, if you don’t have sufficient good cholesterol in your body, your sexual organs might not be able to develop properly.

4. Act as a thermal insulator. Your fats help in keeping you warm.

5. Provide a secondary source of energy, when your carbohydrate is depleted.

Now, that you know how important your good cholesterol is, let’s focus on the foods that can provide good cholesterol.

Fish

The oil (fat) coming from fishes is generally good cholesterol. However, you may choose to eat sardines, salmon, tuna, rainbow trout and mackerel. You should cook your fish dish without adding cooking oil or similar ingredients. Broiling or roasting the fish, or simply boiling it until it’stender is the best way to retain its good fat. The Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish are good fats. Aim to eat fish, at least, twice a week.

Fruits

Fruits are excellent sources of good fat as they also contain essential minerals, vitamins, anti-toxins, and are rich in fibers. All fruits are good for the body, but the following provide more good fats than the rest: avocado, pears, guacamole, banana, apples, and almonds. If you are to prepare a fruit drink, don’t add sugar or fatty milk. These are all detrimental to your health.

Vegetables

Vegetables are superb sources of vitamins, minerals, anti-toxins, and fibers for a healthy body. They are great sources too for good fat, especially green leafy vegetables, legumes, such as beans and peas. You must have at least two daily servings of vegetables. If you can eat several servings per day, then that would be your best option to stay healthy.

Eggs

You need eggs too, but not too many, as it can become bad when taken in excess. An egg twice a week is recommended. It can be eaten with a salad or a fruit drink.

Tips on Maintaining Intake of Good Fat

1. Vary your recipes

Fish dishes can be boiled with healthy condiments, such as garlic, ginger and onions. Watch out for the amount of salt that you add. Excessive salt can cause health problems too. Unsalted recipes would be best. Broil and roast your fish and add some flavor by stuffing it with onions and tomatoes. In cases when you have to use oil, use vegetable oil.

You can prepare salads from your veggies, or delicious dips. But don’t use mayonnaise and too many eggs; they can increase bad fats in your body. Boiling veggies without any condiments is the ideal way to prevent adding bad fat to your healthy dish.

For your fruits, you can prepare smoothies, unsweetened juices, or you can prepare salads, as well.

2. Couple your correct diet with exercise

Studies have proven that regular exercise can facilitate the elimination of bad fats and enhance the production of good fats. You should exercise daily for at least 30 minutes, or once every two days for at least 1 hour. It doesn’t matter what type of exercise you engage in, as long as you’re physically active.

3. Avoid alcohol

Alcohol has been discovered to increase the retention of bad fats and other waste products of metabolism, such as uric acid, the substance that causes gout.

4. Hydrate yourself adequately

Water is a universal solvent, and as such, it could help dissolve toxic substances and eliminate bad fats and other waste products from your system. This is done primarily through your urine.

5. Get enough sleep

When you get enough sleep, your body would be rejuvenated and could function properly; including the elimination of bad fats from your body. During sleep, some important substances are released into the bloodstream, such as Growth Hormones (GH), which help in your growth and development.

Finally

To stay healthy and fit, you have to get rid of the bad fats in your body, and increase the good fats. This can only be successful, when you approach the process in a holistic manner. Follow the abovementioned tips and you would surely succeed.

About the author:

Adelaide is a medical technologist by profession. She’s most interested in techniques to stay fit, trim and healthy. She had injuries related to sports, which she was able to resolve eventually. So, she wants to help people overcome their health problems. Visit her website