Health
Where to find the good fats
Though they sometimes get a bad rap, there are plenty of fats that are good for you, you just have to know where to look. Many consumers get confused by the contradictory findings on fats such as margarine and vegetable shortening, but according to AARP The Magazine, there are a number of places where you can get this important nutrient to boost your health.
Most people associate fat with the saturated variety, which can have a number of negative health effects including raising LDL cholesterol and clogging arteries. Additionally, you should stay far away from trans fats, which are common in stick margarine and shortening.
Instead, you should focus on getting mono and polyunsaturated fats. These nutrients are found mostly in products such as olive, corn and sunflower oils. In fact, the publication reports a recent study found that olive oil users over the age of 65 reduce their chances of a stroke by as much as 41 percent.
"Any oil that is liquid at room temperature is heart-smart," Dawn Jackson Blatner, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, told the magazine.
According to the Mayo Clinic, polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) have shown to lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and one of the most beneficial PUFAs are omega-3 fatty acids. In particular, the nutrient has proven to be especially helpful when it comes to heart health and is most commonly found in some types of fish.
While fats may have their good side, that certainly does not mean that you should over-indulge. Most experts say that you should not get more than 25 to 35 percent of your daily intake of calories from fats, the magazine reports.
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