Fat and Cholesterol

The Fats Guildline

In the past, we did not know that fat is harmful to us, so we spread butter on our breakfast toast and plopped sour cream on our baked potatoes. Farmers bred their animals to produce milk with high butterfat content and meat marbled with fat because that was what most people wanted.

On the other hand, ever since the word "diet" came into our lives, things have become more and more complicated. Many heart diseases are connected to high fat consumption.

Fats are composed of a group of chemical compounds that contain fatty acids. Energy is stored in the body mostly in the form of fat. Fat is needed in the diet to supply essential fatty acids, substances essential for growth but not produced by the body itself. Then we ask ourselves, "What should we eat or shouldn't eat?" These days, people start to think that lard is bad and olive oil is good. Margarine is better for you than butter. Then again, maybe not.

Cholesterol

Cholesterol helps the body produce steroid hormones needed for body regulation, including processing food, and bile acids needed for digestion. People do not need to consume dietary cholesterol because the body can make enough cholesterol for its own needs. It contains substantial amounts of cholesterol, found in foods such as egg yolks, liver, meat, some shellfish, and whole-milk dairy products. Only foods of animal origin contain cholesterol.

A lot of people are confused about the effect of dietary fats on cholesterol levels. They think that eating less cholesterol would reduce a person's cholesterol level. In fact, eating less cholesterol has less effect on blood cholesterol levels than eating less saturated fat. However, eating cholesterol increases the risk of heart disease even if it doesn't increase blood cholesterol levels.

By exercising with a daily routine, fat is toned down and calories are burned. Keep a healthy diet and go out for weekly walks.