Saturated fat VS Unsaturated fat

If you’re confused about fats in your diet, you’re not alone. Traditionally fat has been considered a dietary no-no. However, fat is more complicated than that and is actually an essential component of a healthy diet.

According to the American Heart Association, between 25 and 35 percent of a person’s daily calories should consist of fat. Not all fats are the same, and food typically contains both saturated and unsaturated fat. Understanding the distinction between the two can help people make better dietary decisions.

What is saturated fat?

According to the online medical resource Verywell Health, saturated fats have no double bonds in their chemical structure. It’s because of that structure that saturated fats have a solid consistency at room temperature. Saturated fat can be found in various foods, including animal meat, coconut oil, cheese, butter, milk, and processed meats, such as bologna and sausage. Prepackaged snacks such as cookies and crackers also may contain saturated fats. Saturated fats (including a type called trans fat) tend to stay solid and may cause fatty deposits in blood vessels, leading to atherosclerosis (“hardening of the arteries”).

What is unsaturated fat?

Unsaturated fats contain one or more double bonds in their chemical structure and are typically liquid at room temperature. Therefore, many believe they are less likely to clog your arteries.Not all unsaturated fats are the same. Some are monounsaturated fats, which contain only one doubled in their structure. Examples of monounsaturated fats include canola oil and olive oil. Polyunsaturated fats are those that contain two or more double bonds in their structure. Safflower oil, sunflower oil and corn oil are some examples of polyunsaturated fats.

Is one type of fat worse than another?

Part of the difficulty surrounding dietary fat is conflicting studies regarding its effects on overall health. Saturated fat has long been considered unhealthy, and the AHA recommends that less than 6 percent of daily caloric intake consist of saturated fat. Some studies have indicated that high amounts of saturated fats are linked to an increased risk for heart disease.

Is one type of fat better than another?

Studies show that eating foods rich in unsaturated fat instead of saturated fat improves blood cholesterol levels, which can decrease your risk of heart attack and stroke. The AHA recommends that people should get most of their daily fat intake from unsaturated fats, which can be found in foods such as nuts, olives and avocados. Fish such as tuna and salmon also are good sources of unsaturated fats.

There is debate within the scientific community itself over how important it is to focus on certain types of dietary fat, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. But there is consensus about what constitutes a “healthy diet.” According to the CDC, a healthy eating plan emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, includes a variety of protein foods such as seafood, lean meats and poultry, eggs, legumes (beans and peas), soy products, nuts, and seeds, is low in added sugars, sodium, saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol.

The fact is, not all fats are bad, and concentrating too much on eliminating “fat” from our diets has, in many cases, led us to replace even healthy fats with sugars and other simple carbohydrate foods that may actually be worse for our health.

Fats and how they fit into a healthy diet can be difficult to understand. Adults can consult with their physicians to determine which foods and fat sources are right for them.