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This article will provide an A-Z guide to saturated, unsaturated and trans fats, discussing the merits of the most common options available on store shelves.
Foods higher in dietary fat are becoming popular as of late, and there is a world of choice at your feet when it comes to purchasing a cooking oil.
But there are several considerations you should make before choosing, like whether it is healthy or not, how natural (or processed) it is, and whether or not it is resistant to high-heat cooking and rancidification.
What Are the Different Types of Dietary Fat?
It is best to use saturated fats for cooking, as they have no double bond in the molecular structure. The fat is saturated with hydrogen in between the carbon atoms, which makes the fat less prone to oxidative damage. Saturated fats are solid at room temperature.
Monounsaturated fats have one double bond in their structure. They are still relatively resistant to oxidation and tend to be high in beneficial antioxidants and polyphenols, further protecting them from damage. Monounsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature.
Polyunsaturated fats have more than one double bond in their structure. They are the least resistant to oxidation out of all fats. Polyunsaturated fats are also liquid at room temperature.
Trans Fats are artificial fats that are solid at room temperature. They are former vegetable oils that have had hydrogen atoms added to them in a hydrogenation process. The more saturated fat is with hydrogen atoms, the more shelf-stable it tends to be. But trans fats have devastating impacts on our health and should be avoided.
Now that’s out of the way, let’s look at the different fats we can buy in stores.
Full list here: http://nutritionadvance.com/dietary-fat-guide-saturated-unsaturated-trans-fats/
Foods higher in dietary fat are becoming popular as of late, and there is a world of choice at your feet when it comes to purchasing a cooking oil.
But there are several considerations you should make before choosing, like whether it is healthy or not, how natural (or processed) it is, and whether or not it is resistant to high-heat cooking and rancidification.
What Are the Different Types of Dietary Fat?
It is best to use saturated fats for cooking, as they have no double bond in the molecular structure. The fat is saturated with hydrogen in between the carbon atoms, which makes the fat less prone to oxidative damage. Saturated fats are solid at room temperature.
Monounsaturated fats have one double bond in their structure. They are still relatively resistant to oxidation and tend to be high in beneficial antioxidants and polyphenols, further protecting them from damage. Monounsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature.
Polyunsaturated fats have more than one double bond in their structure. They are the least resistant to oxidation out of all fats. Polyunsaturated fats are also liquid at room temperature.
Trans Fats are artificial fats that are solid at room temperature. They are former vegetable oils that have had hydrogen atoms added to them in a hydrogenation process. The more saturated fat is with hydrogen atoms, the more shelf-stable it tends to be. But trans fats have devastating impacts on our health and should be avoided.
Now that’s out of the way, let’s look at the different fats we can buy in stores.
Full list here: http://nutritionadvance.com/dietary-fat-guide-saturated-unsaturated-trans-fats/
