The moderate consumption of fats is essential to stay healthy. But although it is true that our body requires fat for its proper functioning, an excess in its intake could lead to important pathologies such as obesity, heart disease, fatty liver or high cholesterol and triglycerides, in addition to increasing the risk of suffering from various chronic diseases such as diabetes. Taking care of the amount of lipids that we ingest in the diet is very important, so it is essential to identify foods that have a lot of fat to moderate their consumption. Here we explain what they are.
Types of fats
The fat intake is essential for the proper functioning of our body giving us energy, protecting our bodies, regulating hormones, favoring the absorption of vitamins and transport through the blood and constitute an important part of cell membranes.
However, to obtain all these advantages, it is important to consume the right type of fat without exceeding those that are not beneficial for the body. The types of lipids are:
- Unsaturated fats: present in foods of plant origin, in nuts, cereals and blue fish. Some types of unsaturated lipids are essential for the health of our body, such as omega 3 or omega 6. It is mainly found in vegetable oils such as olive, flax or sunflower, in foods such as salmon, tuna, sardines, almonds or avocado. These increase HDL or good cholesterol levels.
- Saturated fats: They are found in foods of animal origin such as meats, dairy products and derivatives and also in certain vegetable oils such as coconut. Additionally, this fat is in other types of food such as pastries or snacks because vegetable oils are used for its preparation. Its excessive consumption produces an increase in bad or LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, as well as various health problems.
- Tran’s fats: these are unsaturated fats that undergo a transformation process turning into saturated fats. They are present in foods such as pastries, snacks, sweets, cookies or prepared meals. This type of lipid is considered the most harmful for our body because it not only increases the level of bad cholesterol but also reduces the good one.
Why is it important to eat fat in moderation?
Unsaturated fats are necessary for the health of our body, while saturated fats are also beneficial to provide energy as long as they are consumed in moderation. But when we carry a date rich in saturated and / or trans lipids, we run the risk that this fat, as it cannot be adequately eliminated by our body, solidifies inside it and gives rise to different health problems such as:
- Obesity
- High cholesterol and triglycerides
- Fatty liver
- Arterial obstructions
- High risk of heart disease
All this affects our health in a decisive way increasing our risk of chronic diseases and dangerous conditions, which is why having a balanced diet, moderate fat consumption and physical activity is essential to guarantee our well-being.
Sausages among the foods with more fat
If you want to eat a low-fat diet, then sausages are one of the first food groups that you should moderate. Rich in fats, salt and preservatives are not suitable for people suffering from high cholesterol, high triglycerides, hypertension or uric acid, nor should they be consumed in excess if they want to follow a healthy diet.
Among the fattiest products of this type we find:
- The chorizos
- Bacon and bacon
- Salami, salami etc.,
- Pâtés of all kinds
Butter and its high cholesterol intake
Butter is one of the ingredients with the highest amount of saturated lipids and cholesterol that we can find, standing out with honors among foods that have a lot of fat because it is made up of 80% of this compound. Its intake should be carried out with extreme moderation avoiding its frequent consumption as much as possible.
Dairy and its derivatives rich in saturated fats
We have already highlighted butter, however this is not the only milk derivative that has a high fat content. In fact, whole milk contains a large amount of fats that should be avoided, especially if you have certain health conditions such as obesity or high cholesterol, but it is also important to moderate the consumption of:
- Cured cheeses, very rich in lipids. It is recommended to opt for the fresh and low salt and fat versions.
- Creamy yogurt.
- Creams and milk cream of all kinds.
Cakes, cookies, tarts, pastries
All the foods that can be grouped within industrial or homemade pastries, such as cookies, cakes, various desserts and cakes, contain a high contribution of fat derived from ingredients such as oils, butter, eggs, cream, chocolate and other products used in their elaboration. Special care must be taken with its consumption because they provide trans fats to our body that can lower our levels of good cholesterol and increase badly.
Salty snacks
French fries, wheat rinds, fried corn or cheese, and fried and salted nuts should be consumed to a minimum due to their high contribution of trans fats. Instead, it is recommended to opt for healthier snacks such as oven roasted nuts without salt or added sugar or skimmed yogurts.
Mayonnaise, a high source of fat
If you are a lover of mayonnaise and whenever you can add it to your dishes you should know that this is one of the foods that have more fat, since it is made from egg yolks and oil, a tremendous caloric pump that must be ingested only occasionally and very sparingly.
Junk, packaged and fried food
Loaded with trans fats, flavorings, preservatives and made many times with unhealthy cooking techniques, junk food is the queen among high-fat foods, so it is only recommended to consume it as something occasional.
The packaged foods are not far behind in this list, in these cases it is best to opt for homemade dishes and avoid the maximum preparations those who come ready to eat because of their high lipid content and preservatives. In addition, fried and battered preparations, highly caloric and loaded with saturated lipids, should be avoided excessively.
Unsaturated fats beneficial to health
But not all fats are bad for our body, unsaturated fats are beneficial and must be present in our diet and ingested daily. Among the foods that contain them we find:
- The olive oil
- Corn, sunflower or canola oils
- Almonds and walnuts without frying and without added sugar or salt
- Blue fish such as salmon, anchovies, tuna or sardines
- Avocado
