Limiting Intake of Bad Fats
August 19, 2010
Saturated fats are mostly derived from animal products and adversely affect the health of our heart. They also increase risk of obesity. Some examples of sources of saturated fats are whole milk, butter, cream and fatty meats.
Very few vegetable oils contain saturated fats; some of which are coconut, palm and palm kernel oils.
Most full fat dairy products have a high concentration of saturated fats. These are full fat cheese, whole milk, cream, ice cream, cream cheese, etc. Their intake should be strictly restricted in your diet.
Buy low fat or non fat dairy foods instead. Eat low fat dairy products like low fat cheese, skim milk, cottage cheese, low fat yogurt and mayonnaise. So, instead of going for your usual cream cheese, buy whipped cheese.
You should be extremely careful before purchasing fatty meats, like red meats. Meats like beef, pork and mutton are high in saturated fats. Eat more of white meats like chicken and fish.
Oily fish like salmon and mackerel is a great choice; it is rich in polyunsaturated fats that promote heart health. There are varieties of turkey and beef available in the market that are low in fat content.
Cheese, butter, mayonnaise, salad dressings are a sin. It’s not just butter, but other accompaniments with your foods also need to be reassessed. Some of the dips, sauces, dressings contain high levels of fats. Avoid eating cream based sauces with your food.
These are made from butter, cream or full fat dairy. Instead try mushroom, fish or tomato based sauces. Use more of mustard, barbecue sauce and ketchup that are low in fats.
Cholesterol is another bad fat that we have to reduce in our diet. Our body produces enough of cholesterol on its own. Therefore it does not need cholesterol from external sources. Hence, any intake of cholesterol from external sources threatens the health of our heart.
Cholesterol is a fat like material commonly found in animal products. The prime sources are eggs, whole milk, whole fat dairy products and also some meats. Meats that are high in cholesterol are shellfish, beef, pork, chicken, poultry skin and organ meats like liver. Many of the sources are the same as saturated fats.
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