Fat’s main benefits are as a source of energy and helping the body absorb certain vitamins from the food we eat. However, consuming too much fat can have negative effects on health and cause chronic diseases such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. Therefore, you should study about fats that are beneficial and harmful to the body, including the amount of fat that you should eat per day.

What is fat?

Fat is a nutrient that is a source of energy for the body. The body can synthesize some fats on its own and some must be obtained through food. It can be divided into good fats and bad fats as follows:

Good fat

Or unsaturated fat is a fat that is beneficial to health. It helps improve blood cholesterol levels, relieves inflammation and helps control heart rate. Unsaturated fat is divided into 2 types:

• Monounsaturated fats are fatty acids that have one double bond in the molecule. They are liquid at room temperature and solid at low or very cold temperatures. สนใจสมัคร? คลิกที่นี่เพื่อเริ่มต้น They are found in pumpkin seeds, avocados, sunflower seeds, olive oil, canola oil, sesame oil, cashews, almonds , peanuts , etc.
• Polyunsaturated fat is an unsaturated fatty acid with more than one double bond. It is liquid at room temperature and solid at low or very cold temperatures, similar to monounsaturated fat. It is divided into omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids, which can be found in sardines, salmon, trout , mackerel, sea fish, corn, safflower oil, soybean oil, walnuts , etc.

Bad fat

Bad fats are divided into two types as follows:

Saturated fat

It is a bad type of fat that can be harmful to your health if you eat more than 20-30 grams/day. It can cause your cholesterol levels to rise, leading to blocked coronary arteries, increasing the risk of heart disease. Foods that are high in saturated fat are often found in processed foods and foods that are high in fat, such as:

• Fatty meat
• Palm oil
• Coconut oil
• Lard
• cheese
• cream
• Margarine
• butter
• crisps
• Pizza
• hamburger
• Baked goods such as crackers, cakes, biscuits
• Popcorn
• chocolate

Trans fat

It is an unsaturated fat that has been processed to help extend its expiration date and not have a rancid smell. However, trans fat is classified as a bad fat. Therefore, the amount consumed should be limited to no more than 5 grams/day to reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood cholesterol, insulin resistance, a weakened immune system, and inflammation of the body’s tissues and cells. Trans fat is often found in foods that use margarine or white butter as ingredients.

What are the benefits of fat?

Fat has the following health benefits:

• It is a source of energy for the body.
• It is a nutrient that is essential for the functioning of various systems in the body.
• Helps improve brain function and reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, especially by consuming good fats.
• Helps the body absorb certain vitamins from food, such as vitamins A , D , E and K, which are fat-soluble vitamins.

Precautions in consuming fat

Precautions for consuming fat are as follows:

• For trans fat consumption, both women and men should not consume more than 5 grams of trans fat per day as it is harmful to health.
• For saturated fat intake, you should not consume more than 20 grams of saturated fat per day. If possible, you should focus on consuming unsaturated fat instead.
• Fat intake should be limited. Adults generally need about 20-35 percent of their daily energy intake from fat.

In addition, you should exercise at least 30 minutes/day, 5 days/week to help burn excess fat. You should also measure your body mass index and weigh yourself regularly, as well as undergo an annual health check-up to screen for diseases.