The truth about fats is this: our bodies need good fat to function well. And everyone knows this. But a lot of people choose to continue having an unhealthy lifestyle, fuelled by unhealthy fat.
Most of the food in people’s diets has bad fats. Saturated fat found in animal products increases the bad cholesterol levels, which puts you at cardiovascular health risks. But even a bigger problem is the regular refined cooking oils nearly every Indian use every day. Unsaturated Omega 6 fats have been known to cause blood pressure problems, among other things. Some of the most common cooking oils in the Indian household contain Omega 6, which eventually contributes to inflammation.
Bestselling author of The Anti Inflammation Zone Dr. Barry Sears explains how low levels of omega-3 fatty acids can be overcome by supplementation with quality omega-3 supplements. Omega 3 oils are superior in quality, and have proven health benefits like reducing risks for heart diseases, cancer, etc.
Another bad fat to be aware of is Trans fat. The food industry today focuses so much on the taste, cheaper costs, and longer shelf life, that they don’t highlight the dangers of using trans fats in the making process. Use of transfat is rampant in processed food people buy everyday, and its bad effects has been compared to cigarette smoking. If you think you don’t end up consuming those one way or another you are probably mistaken…
Increased risks of heart attacks, stroke and type 2 diabetes, along with having a negative impact on your cholesterol levels – trans fats are probably one of the worst forms of fats you can ever have. Nearly all baked goods, the innocent looking biscuit you have with tea (yes, thts why it has a shelf life for years) quick snacks, and fried food – essentially many things people end up consuming even on a daily basis has trans fat in it.
Most people end up consuming huge amounts of those bad fats, without even knowing it. So why not change that? Paying attention to the little details like the kind of fats we’re having, and intentionally choosing good fats over bad ones, has a positive effect on our health in the long run. And according to Dr Barry Sears, the number one thing is to ensure you supplement OMEGA3 fatty acids.
References:
1. The Anti-Inflammation Zone, by Barry Sears
2. https://www.drsears.com/overview-of-pro-resolution-nutrition/components/omega-3-fatty-acids/
3. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/in-depth/trans-fat/art-20046114
