Facts about fats

Commercial diets that claim fats are good flavor enhancers and are satisfying, especially when you are on a low-carbohydrate diet, have become popular recently.

But nutrition experts warn that most fats can have bad effects on your health. Here are some facts why fats should be limited or avoided.

Bad fat vs. good fat. Fats can be classified into different types. The most dangerous type is trans fats, by-products of a process called hydrogenation. Healthy oils are transformed into solids to keep them from becoming stale. Trans fats are found in margarine, butter, shortening, lard, baked goods and even fast-food French fries. Any amount of trans fats is not good for your health.

Saturated fats are common in most diets. They are found in red meat, coconut oil, commercially prepared baked goods, whole milk and other whole milk dairy products. Excessive amounts of saturated fats can also be bad for your health.

Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are considered “good” since they are healthier for the heart. These fats are liquid at room temperature and are found mostly in fish, vegetables, seeds and nuts (almonds, cashews, peanuts and pecans).

Fats can cause bad breath. The goal of some fad diets is to get the body into the state of ketosis, a metabolic process where you burn stored body fat for fuel. By eating more fats and very little carbohydrates, the body uses fat for fuel since there is little carbohydrate to burn. As the body burns fat, it produces ketones in the liver. Ketones are chemical substances that the body makes when it does not have enough insulin in the blood. When the ketones reach a certain level, the body is in ketosis. However, when discharged, the ketones stick to urine and breath and give off a bad smell.    

Fats can lead to kidney stones and gout. Many low-carbohydrate, high-protein, high-fat diets can increase the amount of protein and uric acid in the body. While the diet itself has not resulted in an increase or decrease in kidney stones, doctors are seeing a new development: patients are eating more meat and fish, which can increase their

calcium and uric acid levels and acidify their urine. This may lead to kidney stones. High levels of uric acid can cause gout.

Fats can increase the risk of heart disease. Too much saturated or trans fat may increase inflammation and blood cholesterol levels. This can, in turn, increase the risk of heart diseases, stroke and Type 2 or adult-onset diabetes, especially when combined with refined carbohydrates.

Fats are linked to obesity. Fat contains more calories per gram than protein or carbohydrate, so it contributes more to weight gain and, eventually, obesity. Excess weight or obesity can rob you of self-confidence. The social pressure for people to look thin or sexy may create feelings of insecurity, even depression, among those who are overweight.

The bottom line: Fats have been linked to many health risks. Knowing how to separate the good from bad fats can make a difference. Take everything in moderation and stay healthy by exercising regularly and eating a well-balanced diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, lean protein and whole grains.