What is saturated fat?
A saturated fat is a type of fat. It contains huge number of fatty acid molecules without double bonds. To be specific, they are tightly packed with no double bonds between the fatty acids.
Saturated fats are generally solid at room temperature with some exceptions. Hence, they are also called solid fats. Solid fats are found generally in animal products such as meat, eggs etc. Coconut oil, milk and palm oil are few examples of liquids at room temperature that are rich in solid fats.
What is unsaturated fat?
Unsaturated fats on the other hand have one or more double bonds. Moreover, unsaturated fats have fewer hydrogen atoms on their carbon chains than saturated fats. Unsaturated fats are generally liquid at room temperature.
Unsaturated fats generally come from plant sources such as seeds, olives or nuts. Fish too is also rich in of unsaturated fats. We generally call unsaturated fats as oils. Oils mostly contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
What is trans-fat?
Unlike saturated fats, trans fats are semi-solid at room temperature. In trans fats, chemical bonds are in trans- rather than cis- position. Hydrogenation of vegetable oils produces trans-fat. Animal products such as meat and milk also contain trans fat in small amounts. Trans fat occurs naturally in some foods in small amounts.
Is saturated fat good or bad for diabetics?
Experts consider solid fat as less healthful for us to eat than unsaturated fat. They say eating more unsaturated fats and less saturated or trans fats is good for health. Such eating option reduces risk of cardio-vascular disease and other health complications. Please visit this post to learn more about what a diabetic can eat.
Why saturated fat is not good for health?
Saturated fats cause higher HDL as well as LDL cholesterol levels. This means too much solid fat in diet leads to too much cholesterol in blood. Excess cholesterol in turn narrows your arteries. This in turn, may increase cardiovascular disease and stroke risk. Hence, solid fats are not good for health.
