Understanding Fats And Carbohydrates Role In Proper Nutrition
Carbohydrates and fats are two building blocks of a healthy diet, but many people do
not understand their role in proper nutrition.
While the daily intake of fats and oils should be limited, these
elements are still a vital part of the diet.
The key is to make smart choices when it comes to fats and oils. That means substituting saturated fats with
unsaturated fats, and using healthier, lighter oils in cooking.
Let’s
look at the role fats and oils play in the diet. Fats are necessary for supplying energy to
the body. In addition, fats supply
essential fatty acids and act as carriers for fat soluble vitamins like vitamin
A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K and the carotenoids.
In addition, fats have an important role to
play as building blocks for various tissues and membranes, and they also play a
key role in regulating numerous bodily functions.
Dietary
fat is available from a variety of plant and animal sources, and most diets do
contain adequate amounts of fat. Most nutrition
experts recommend keeping the intake of fat to less than 20% of calories, but
studies have shown that severely limiting fat intake can be dangerous. Extreme low fat diets should only be
undertaking with a doctor’s approval and oversight.
The
type and amount of fat in the diet makes all the difference. A diet high in saturated fats, trans fats and
cholesterol has been associated with a variety of ills, including heart
disease, stroke and other associated diseases.
In addition, many long term chronic problems, such as obesity, are
associated with high levels of dietary fats.
The
greatest risk of complications from excessive fat intake appears to lie with
saturated fats and trans fats (fats that are solid at room temperature). One of the best ways to keep levels of
saturated fat low is to limit the amount of animal fats that are consumed.
These animal based fats include meats like
bacon and sausage, as well as butter and ice cream. Dietary cholesterol can be limited by
watching the consumption of eggs, organ meats and other foods high in
cholesterol.
Food
labels do make the complicated process of choosing the right fats somewhat
easier. For instance, trans fats will be
listed on the ingredient list of foods that contain them. In general, trans fats are found mainly in
processed foods.
Some
fats, such as polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats, are better choices
for healthy eating. Examples of these
fats include canola oil and olive oil.
Cooking with these lighter oils can be a big step toward a healthier
diet. Polyunsaturated and
monounsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature, and they have been found
to have heart protecting qualities.
Many
types of fish have also been found to be sources of good fat. Fish are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty
acids. These omega-3’s have been found
to promote good health, and they may even lower cholesterol levels.
Carbohydrates
are an important part of a healthy diet as well, and carbs are necessary for
providing energy and many essential nutrients.
Carbohydrates are found in fruits and vegetables, in grains and in milk
and dairy products. It is important to
choose carbohydrates carefully, however, since not all are equally
healthy.
When
choosing breads and cereal, for instance, try to select those made with whole
grains, while avoiding the more highly refined varieties. It is also important to limit the intake of
sugars, such as soda, candy and highly processed baked goods.
Consuming large amounts of such high calorie,
low nutrient foods, can make it very difficult to stay on a healthy diet
without gaining weight.
Most
Americans tend to have too much of certain elements in their diet. Sugar is one such element and salt is the
other. While a basic level of sodium in
the form of salt is important to proper nutrition, most people consume too much
salt in their daily diet.
When you consume salt
too much, it can lead to water retention, high blood pressure and other
complications. Choosing low sodium
foods, and limiting the use of the salt shaker, can go a long way toward
cutting levels of excess salt in the diet.