According to the Heart website, for good health, the majority of the fats you eat should be monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. Eat foods that contain monounsaturated fats or polyunsaturated fats instead of foods that contain saturated fats or trans fats. .
What are polyunsaturated fats?
From a chemical standpoint, polyunsaturated fats are simply fat molecules that contain more than one unsaturated carbon bond in the molecule, this is also called a double bond. Polyunsaturated fat oils are usually liquid at room temperature, but they start In solidification upon cooling, olive oil is an example of a type of oil that contains polyunsaturated fats.
How do polyunsaturated fats affect your health?
Polyunsaturated fats can help reduce levels of harmful cholesterol in the blood, which can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, and they also provide nutrients to help develop and maintain body cells, and oils rich in polyunsaturated fats also contribute vitamin E in the diet, an antioxidant vitamin.
Oils rich in polyunsaturated fats also provide essential fats that your body needs but cannot produce on its own – such as omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. You must get essential fats through food, and omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are important for many functions in your body. the body.
Are polyunsaturated fats better than saturated or trans fats?
Yeah. While all fats provide 9 calories per gram, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats can have a positive effect on your health when eaten in moderation, and the bad fats, saturated fats and trans fats, can negatively affect your health.
What foods are rich in polyunsaturated fats?
Most foods contain a mixture of fats.
Foods high in polyunsaturated fats include a number of vegetable oils, including:
Soy oil
corn oil
Sun flower oil
Other sources include some nuts and seeds such as walnuts, sunflower seeds, and soybeans. The American Heart Association also recommends eating tofu and other types of soybeans, canola, walnuts, flaxseeds, and their oils. These foods contain alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is another fatty acid from Omega 3 acids.
