Our food has various forms of fat, with saturated fats elevating blood cholesterol. A lot of foods contain saturated fat, especially those derived from animals, such as lean meat, milk, butter, and dairy products, as well as meals made with them, such as pastries and cookies. They are also found in various plant products, such as oils from coconut and palm.
How Will Saturated Fat Affect Your Cholesterol Levels?
The liver both makes and degrades cholesterol. Consuming foods packed with saturated fat but lacking in unsaturated fat changes the way the liver handles cholesterol.
LDL receptors are found in our liver cells. LDL cholesterol is transported throughout the bloodstream to the liver, where it is destroyed. According to research, excessive amounts of saturated fat cause the receptors to malfunction, causing cholesterol to accumulate in the bloodstream. Consequentially raises cholesterol levels with associated increases in blood pressure.
Which Food Contains a High Portion Of Saturated Fats?
- Saturated fat-rich foods include milk, puddings, and biscuits.
- Pastries and pies; fatty meats like lamb chops
- Sausages, burgers, bacon, and kebabs are examples of processed meat.
- Full-fat dairy goods such as cream, milk, yoghurt, crème fraiche, and cheese; butter,
- Ghee, or margarine; the swan fat and suet oils of coconuts; and cream from coconuts
Saturated fats, such as butter, animal fat, and coconut oil, are often hard at room temperature. Unsaturated fats, such as olive oil, are liquid. Both unsaturated and saturated fats are found in a variety of foods. Harvard School of Publication recommend switching to foods that have more unsaturated fat, like oily vegetables. Fish and nuts over bad fats.
Is Saturated Fat Bad For You?
Although studies suggest that eating foods high in saturated fat may harm one’s health, it’s vital to remember that not all saturated fats are produced equally.
For instance, a diet heavy in fast food, fried foods, sweet baked goods, and packaged meats will likely affect health differently than a diet packed with saturated fats from full-fat dairy, coconut, and lean meat. The American Heart Association recommends that saturated fat is the main culprit behind cardiovascular disease and heart attack.
Saturated Fats Are An Essential Component Of A Nutritious Diet.
Food packed with saturated fat may serve as a component of a nutritious diet. Coconut products, such as unsweetened flakes of coconut and oil from coconuts, grass-fed whole milk yoghurt, and grass-fed beef, are just a few examples of high-saturated-fat meals that may benefit health. For example, study evaluations have revealed that full-fat dairy consumption has a balanced or beneficial impact on the risk of heart disease. In contrast, coconut oil consumption has been proven to enhance good cholesterol, which can help with weight loss.
In contrast, consuming processed meals high in saturated fats, such as fast food and fried items, has consistently been linked to a higher likelihood of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other health problems.
Bottom Line
For decades, saturated fats have been widely considered unhealthy. Nonetheless, current research indicates that healthy high-fat foods can be consumed as a component of a healthy and balanced diet. Although nutrition research prefers to focus on specific macronutrients, focusing on what you eat is significantly more beneficial for general health and illness prevention. Rather than sticking to a low- or high-fat diet, ensure you obtain plenty of all the key macronutrients in your daily diet.
Sohail has been searching diets and belly fat solutions for over a decade, and manage a pool of trained authors to write articles, which have helped thousands of readers to this date. He has CPD accredited Certificate in Nutrition for Weight Loss besides his MBA degree. He also owns this website, which he founded in 2013 to share his ideas and knowledge. Not to mention he has tried numerous supplements over the years and has an extensive and thorough knowledge on supplements. Besides spending time on his study, research and literature, Sohail loves swimming, gardening and travelling.
