Fats

Fat is a basically a glycerol molecule with fatty- acid chains added. These fatty-acid chains can be saturated with hydrogens or not. This means that all carbons in the fatty-acid chain have all the hydrogen atoms possible. A fatty acid is not saturated has carbons with double bonds. Polyunsaturated fatty-acids can have many double bonds. Monounsaturated fatty-acids have a single double bond.

These fatty-acids effect blood cholesterols in a different manner. Low density lipoprotein (LDL) is often called the “bad” cholesterol and vary often may contribute to heart disease.  High density lipoprotein is considered the “good” cholesterol.  The ratio of total cholesterol to HDL is used to assess risk of chronic disease. A ratio over five is considered undesirable. Saturated fatty-acids boost LDL levels. Polyunsaturated fatty-acids lower both LDL and HDL levels. Monounsaturated fats reduce LDL and total cholesterol while increasing HDL levels.

Saturated fats are present in animal based foods such as beef, lamb, pork, poultry with skin, cream, butter, and cheese.  Plant based sources of saturated fat include palm and coconut oil. Foods with high amounts of polyunsaturated fat include walnuts, sunflower seeds, flax seed or flax seed oil, salmon, mackerel, herring, trout, albacore tuna, corn oil, soybean oil, and safflower oil. Foods high in monounsaturated fat are nuts, avocado, and oils such as canola. olive, safflower, and sunflower.  Monounsaturated fats provide essential fatty-acids which are the fats the body cannot make and must be consumed. Fats provide nine calories of energy per gram. Fats are generally used for storage in the body. Many hormones are derivatives of cholesterol, but homeostatic mechanisms of the body can produce all the cholesterol the body will ever need whether the individual ever consumes another drop or not. Please visit tpnbodyperfect.com and view our video demonstration.