What are unhealthy fat?

Many people think that all fats are unhealthy. You might believe that to be healthy, you need to lose fats. That is really not completely true. Fats are a category of food that we need for the proper functioning of our bodies.

The truth is, there are good, healthy fats and there are unhealthy fats. Please do not misunderstand, too much fat is not good for you. It does not matter what kind, whether it is healthy or unhealthy fat that you are taking – too much is just not good.

So, what are unhealthy fats?

It is generally believed that saturated fats are unhealthy fats. This is true to some extend, but taken in moderation, there is no harm. Saturated fats are found in red meat, whole milk diary products and some tropical vegetable oils, for example, coconut oil.

Saturated fats are considered unhealthy because they raise the level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol. When your LDL cholesterol is increase, your risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) will also increase. It is also believed that saturated fats lower the levels of HDL, which are the “good” cholesterol.

Up until recently, trans fats or hydrogenated fats, have been considered harmless. We now know differently. Where do trans fats come from? When you heat liquid vegetable oils and there is hydrogen present, a process called hydrogenation takes place and trans fat is created.

Why is trans fat considered unhealthy fat? It has been found that trans fat raises low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol and this increases your risk of coronary heart disease (CHD).

You will most likely find trans fat in vegetable shortenings, some brands of margarines, and other processed foods that are made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. For example, crackers, candies, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, baked goods contain trans fat.

You must be wondering why manufacturers use hydrogenated oils when they know it is unhealthy. The truth is, by partially hydrogenating the vegetable oils, it makes them last longer on the shelf before spoiling. This increases shelf life of the product, but it certainly does not improve your health.

The above are the two main types of unhealthy fats. A sensible diet, a good exercise regime (like brisk walking) and an awareness of harmful foods will go a long way towards creating a healthier lifestyle for you.