When you look at a food label, you may be confused by the amount of fat. Each food may contain one of four types of fat: saturated, trans, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated. In addition to the information on the label, you should know which fats you should and should not consume.

Most people consider foods with a lot of fat to be automatically unhealthy. It's not like that at all. I know it may seem complicated, but this article will help you figure it out. In it, I will tell you about 13 high-fat foods that you should add to your diet.

To help you decipher food labels, first let's understand the different types of fats.

In my article on carbohydrates, we talked about how carbohydrates are macronutrients and nutrients that the human body must consume in large quantities in order to function properly.

Fats are also classified as macronutrients that need to be consumed daily. The problem is that, like carbohydrates, not all fats are healthy. In fact, some fats, such as trans fats, can be very harmful.

Saturated and trans fats are the most common fats in articles about fats, while unsaturated fats scare people. The truth is that fats are easy to understand if you just read the right information.

Let's look at four types of fats that are commonly found in foods.

A saturated fat, by definition, is a fat with one hydrogen bond. This bond can be found in animal or vegetable fats and is commonly found in oils, some red meats, eggs and coconuts.

You may have heard conflicting information about saturated fat. Some studies conclude that there is no significant evidence that saturated fat increases the risk of heart disease, while others, such as the American Heart Association, believe that saturated fat increases cholesterol levels and should be no more than 5-6 % of your daily diet.

I am a proponent of the first statement and believe that it is best to consume the right types of saturated fat. In fact, the study I just mentioned found that there was not enough evidence that saturated fat increases the risk of heart disease.

In fact, the American Dietary Guidelines recently revised its findings for cholesterol and for saturated fat and recommended changing the 2015 dietary guidelines to show that there is no evidence to limit cholesterol in our diets.

They also suggested that restrictions on saturated fat in the diet should also be reconsidered because there is no evidence that it is linked to heart disease or any other disease. You can read the entire scientific report for yourself at Health.gov.

The bottom line is that consuming saturated fat in moderation and as part of a healthy diet is probably nothing to worry about.

Trans fats are in the unhealthy category and are found in foods such as fried foods, baked goods, potato chips, frozen pizza dough and various snack foods.

Trans fat is a synthetic version of oil. According to Mayo Clinic research, to create trans fats, hydrogen is added to vegetable oil, making it solid at room temperature. This also happens with unnatural saturated fats.

The result is a partially hydrogenated oil. You may have heard this term before, as this conventional oil is better for these reasons:

1. It doesn't need to be changed as often as other oils (think about deep fryers at fast food places that don't necessarily use fresh oil).
2. It has a longer shelf life.
3. It is not expensive.

Partially hydrogenated oils should be reduced as much as possible in your diet.

This brings us to our next type of fat that should always be included in your diet - monounsaturated fats. Both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are classified as “good fats.”

First, monounsaturated fats are made up of one carbon double bond. This bond means that fewer hydrogen atoms are required compared to saturated fats, which are mostly hydrogen.

Unlike saturated fats, monounsaturated fats become liquid at room temperature.

Last on my list are polyunsaturated fats.

By definition, polyunsaturated fats are made up of two or more carbon double bonds.

Polyunsaturated fats are found in some oils, such as sunflower, safflower or corn oils, which are usually best limited due to their high omega-6 content. But these fats can also be found in healthy foods such as walnuts, salmon and flax seeds.

It is important to note that polyunsaturated fats are very important, which means that our body needs them. Well, at least half of them.

There are two types of polyunsaturated fats: omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. We typically don't get enough omega-3s in our diets, but we also get too many omega-6s.

Now that I've covered the four main types of fats, how can we make sure we're including only the right types in our diet?

Fats to Focus on

Ideally, you'll want to consume both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, focusing primarily on omega-3s. Of course, these two types of fats are considered healthier fats to eat daily. Saturated fats are good in moderation, especially if they come from healthier food sources.

Dairy

Yogurt can help improve your digestion through the use of probiotics or live cultures, and according to a study in the US National Library of Medicine, it also helps with weight loss.

Thanks to the nutrients found in this dairy product, you will also get a dose of energy, calcium and protein.

Cheese is also an excellent source of protein, calcium and minerals, and can be beneficial for appetite control.

According to Alan Aragon, nutritionist and author: "The combination of protein and fat in regular cheese is very filling... As a result, eating cheese helps keep you full for hours, and I have found that it reduces my clients' food intake at subsequent meals." "

Since it is still a high-fat food, be sure to pay attention to portion sizes and adjust if necessary based on your daily calorie goals.

Cooking oil

3. Extra virgin olive oil

Although I have already discussed the next two products on my list in this article, they are still worth mentioning.

So why is this highly fatty food good for you?

According to researchers, olive oil is high in antioxidants and may actually prevent cancer cells from spreading and causing them to die.

Extra virgin olive oil should definitely be on my list.

What about coconut oil?

Coconut oil can increase your cholesterol or HDL levels and is great for cooking.

Nuts and seeds

I would say that nuts also give me energy, so I always keep them on hand. But the problem is that nuts can be extremely high in calories, so you need to control your portions. Take a small handful because it's not easy to stop eating them.

Take a look at this list of nuts and their fat content per 100 grams:

• Almonds: 49 g fat, 78% calories from fat
• Brazil nut: 66 g fat, 89% calories from fat
• Cashews: 44 g fat, 67% calories from fat
• Hazelnuts: 61 g fat, 86% calories from fat
• Macadamia: 76 g fat, 93% calories from fat
• Pecans: 72 g fat, 93% calories from fat
• Pine nuts: 68 g fat, 87% calories from fat
• Pistachios: 44 g fat, 72% calories from fat
• Walnuts: 65 g fat, 87% calories from fat

This list should not discourage you from eating nuts, rather it should prove to you that eating them in controlled portions is imperative.

Seeds can be considered in the same way as nuts, they are also necessary for the body, but you need to watch the portion size.

My favorite seeds:

1. Chia seeds.
2. Flax seeds (ground)
3. Pumpkin seeds (roasted, no salt)
4. Sunflower seeds (roasted without salt)

Even though they contain high amounts of fat, all these seeds provide enormous health benefits. Flax seeds are rich in fiber, antioxidants and essential omega-3 fatty acids.

Grab some pumpkin seeds and you'll be loaded with antioxidants and get about 50% of your recommended magnesium intake.

As for sunflower seeds, they are also rich in antioxidants, fiber and amino acids. It's safe to say that these seeds are the top high-fat foods to add to your diet.

Like nuts, nut butters are a fatty food that should not be avoided. However, choosing the right oil is as important as choosing the right type of nuts. My two favorites are almond and cashew.

Vegetables

When it comes to this high-fat food, it's best to control your portions.

As you can see from this nutrition label, the serving size of an avocado should only be ⅕ the size of a medium avocado. If you ate the whole avocado, you'd get 250 calories and 22.5 grams of fat. However, if you eat it all, it's not the end of the world.

You'll also get about 20 vitamins and minerals, fiber, protein, omega-3s, 4 grams of carbohydrates and only 1.2 grams of carbohydrates per serving. All these benefits make avocado an essential fatty food.

Although olives are a high-fat food, they are full of monounsaturated fat, which is why I consider them an excellent addition to any diet.

Animal products

Most of the fat in eggs is concentrated in the yolk. This is why many people on low-fat diets consume only egg whites. However, assuming you adhere to the same principles, the fats found in the yolk will serve you well.

In one large egg, you'll find 1.6 grams of saturated fat, 0.7 grams of polyunsaturated fat, and 2 grams of monounsaturated fat.

Eating red meat as part of a healthy diet can help you get healthier fats.

Some cuts of meat contain more fat than others, but a beef tenderloin roast or a round steak are two food options. You can take bison meat, which is even leaner and healthier.

According to the Harvard School of Public Health, “An analysis of 20 studies involving nearly a hundred thousand participants suggests that eating about one to two 100-gram servings per week of oily fish—salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, or sardines—reduces the risk of death.” from heart disease by 36%.”

Add-ons

Yes, I'm here to say that chocolate is the right food, but only if you choose the right chocolate. Choosing chocolate that contains at least 70% cocoa can really help your health.

The Cleveland Clinic notes that the fat found in cocoa butter, used to make chocolate, consists of oleic acid, which is a monounsaturated fat similar to what you find in avocados and olive oil.

Chocolate also contains flavonoids, a group of antioxidants.

It's easy to eat too much chocolate, so you need to watch your portion sizes. Just 30g contains 155 calories, and 38% of them are fat. If you decided to eat as much as 150g of chocolate, you would be consuming almost 900 calories and 228% of your total fat needs for the day.

This is why portion control is absolutely essential when it comes to dark chocolate.

I hope this list shows you that not all high-fat foods should be avoided. Natural fats are healthy and critical for your body to function properly.

Random fact:

Most often, in the “Composition” column on food packaging, information is listed in descending order of the amount of ingredient —

Article added by user Maria
02.11.2016

Vegetable fats

Vegetable oils or fats are a product of natural origin, which is obtained during the processing of plant raw materials. The human body is not capable of synthesizing vegetable fats on its own. Because of this, vegetable fats are classified as chemicals that are indispensable for the human body, the supply of which must be frequently replenished.

To obtain vegetable fats in industry, fruits and seeds of oilseeds are used. These include soybeans, olives, rapeseed, the fruits of some types of palm trees, sunflowers and other plants. Quite often, for the production of these fats, oil-containing waste is used, which is obtained during the processing of raw materials of plant origin. For example, rice, corn, grape or cherry seeds, as well as pumpkin and wheat germ.

There are several oilseeds from which fats are produced:

• Sunflower
• Oil palm
• Cotton
• European olive
• Coconut palm
• Soybean cultivated
• Peanuts

There are also several families, such as:

• Anacardiaceae (cashew oil);
• Legumes (groundnut butter, peanut butter, soybean or soybean oil);
• Asteraceae (artichoke oil, sofloral oil and sunflower oil);
• Beech (beech oil);
• Dipterocarpaceae (shorea oil);
• Grape (grape seed oil or grape oil, grape seed oil);
• Borage (cucumber oil);
• Cereals (rice bran oil or rice oil, wheat germ oil or wheat oil, corn oil);
• Brassicas (mustard oil, rapeseed oil, camelina oil or camelina oil);
• Poppy (poppy seed oil);
• Palm (coconut oil, babassu oil, palm kernel oil, palm oil);
• Pumpkin (melon oil and watermelon oil);
• Tea (tea oil)

Difference between vegetable and animal fats

Animal and vegetable fats have different physical properties and composition. It is not difficult to distinguish them from each other by external indicators. Plant lipids are fluid oils, while animal fats are solids. The exception is fish oil, because it is in a liquid state.

You need to pay attention to the composition. In plant lipids, unsaturated fatty acids, which have a low melting point, are more dominant. But animal fats contain a large amount of saturated fatty acids, which melt at high temperatures.

They also differ in their origin. Sources of animal fats are pork fat, which contains 90-92% fat. Vegetable oils containing 99.9% fat are considered sources of vegetable fats.

It is worth remembering that unsaturated and saturated acids, which are contained in fats, are used differently by the human body. Saturated ones, such as palmitic or stearic, are needed as energy material. These acids are found mostly in animal fats, such as beef and pork. You need to know that an excess of saturated fatty acids increases cholesterol levels and provokes metabolic disorders.

Compared to animal fats, vegetable oils have unsaturated fatty acids, which help remove excess cholesterol and are easily absorbed in the human body.

Plant lipids contain much more vitamin F. With a lack of this vitamin, a person can develop various vascular diseases: heart attack or atherosclerosis. In addition, numerous chronic diseases appear and the immune system weakens.

Composition of vegetable fats

The chemical composition of vegetable fats includes triglyceride fatty acids. In addition, vegetable fats contain natural compounds that accompany acids (waxes, phospholipids, as well as sterols and free fatty acids).

Calorie content of vegetable fat

Energy value in the ratio of fats, proteins and carbohydrates: Fats: 99.8 g (~898 kcal) Proteins: 0 g. Carbohydrates: 0 g.

The benefits of vegetable fats

A scientifically proven fact is the benefits and importance of vegetable fats for the body. A living organism urgently needs to consume a certain amount of healthy fatty acids with food every day. The composition of plant lipids includes a huge amount of vitamins E, D, A, in addition to Omega-3 and -6 amino acids.

Harm from vegetable fats

In addition to the benefits of this product, it is necessary to note the possible harm of vegetable fats. If you eat vegetable fats uncontrollably and frequently, they can be harmful. In addition, vegetable fat is used in certain types of products, for example, in the production of ice cream.

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Types of oils

Vegetable oils, obtained primarily from the fruits and seeds of plants, are usually a mixture of fatty acid triglycerides (see fats). Most of them are liquid at ordinary temperatures. with few exceptions (cocoa seed butter, coconut oil, etc.). Unrefined oils, to a certain extent, retain the taste and aroma of the seeds and fruits from which they are extracted.

Obtaining oils

The main ways to obtain vegetable oils are spin(pressing) and extraction(organic solvents or liquefied carbon dioxide).

Spin

Extraction is a traditional method for obtaining vegetable oils.

The raw material used is pre-husked, crushed seeds - pulp. The raw material is subjected to pressure in a screw press, resulting in oil and a solid residue - cake. Roasted seeds are more often used - roasting increases the yield of oil and gives it a pleasant aroma.

Extraction

More modern than spinning is a cheap and fast method based on the property of certain substances to dissolve fats.

During extraction, pre-husked, crushed and dried seeds are treated with organic solvents (most often, extraction gasoline (hexane)) in special apparatus - extractors. The defatted solid residue (meal) and dissolved oil (miscella) require distillation of the solvent, for which the meal is fed into a screw evaporator, and the miscella into a distiller.

The disadvantages of the method include the possibility of chemical compounds used in the oil production technology getting into the final product. The use of liquid carbon dioxide, which is in a supercritical state, as a solvent allows us to solve this problem.

Cleaning

Oil purification occurs in several successive stages:

• removal of mechanical impurities;
• alkaline refining;
• bleaching (bleaching);

Areas of application of oils

All vegetable oils can be roughly divided according to their main areas of application, into technical And food oils Assignment to one category or another depends on the production goals, and determines the technical conditions for the production of a particular oil.

The main use of vegetable oils is food, although significant quantities of some oils (rapeseed, tung, coconut, etc.) are used for technical needs.

Edible oils

To the so-called dining room vegetable oils include: vegetable oil, olive (Provencal), soybean oil, flaxseed, poppy, beech, rapeseed, nut, mustard, sesame, peanut oil (from Arachis hypogea).

Some vegetable oils have regional significance, such as walnut oil, which is widely used in the Mediterranean diet.

The nutritional value

Edible vegetable oils contain a number of substances important for the functioning of the human body, and the body is not able to synthesize these substances on its own. Such substances include, in particular:

The first two substances are unsaturated fatty acids, necessary for the body to build cell membranes (including nerve cells). Phospholipids regulate cholesterol metabolism.

Technical oils

Vegetable oils are used in the perfumery and cosmetics industry, for the production of biofuel (biodiesel), various varnishes, paints and impregnations.

Notes

see also

Literature

• Vegetable oils- article from the Great Soviet Encyclopedia
• Sokolsky I., Candidate of Pharmaceutical Sciences. You can't spoil porridge with oil. Science and Life, No. 12 (2008), pp. 114-121.

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

See what “Vegetable fats” are in other dictionaries:

EDITABLE FATS- together with proteins and carbohydrates, they make up the main part of food. Fats contribute to better and more complete absorption of other foods consumed along with them; they are the most high-calorie part of the diet: when “burning” 1 g of fat is released into... ... Concise Encyclopedia of Housekeeping

Same as fatty vegetable oils. * * * VEGETABLE FATS VEGETABLE FATS, the same as vegetable oils (see VEGETABLE OILS) ... encyclopedic Dictionary

Organic compounds, mainly esters of glycerol and monobasic fatty acids (triglycerides); belong to lipids. One of the main components of cells and tissues of living organisms. Source of energy in the body; calorie content of pure fat... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

Fatty, vegetable fats obtained from seeds or fruits of plants by pressing or extraction. Vegetable oils are distinguished: solid and (usually) liquid; drying (linseed vegetable oil, hemp oil), semi-drying (sunflower, cottonseed) ... Modern encyclopedia

Vegetable fats- Vegetable fats are products obtained from plant raw materials: soybean, sunflower, peanut, cotton, palm, rapeseed, olives, flax, castor oil, as well as oil-containing food waste: bran, cereal germ, fruit seeds... Official terminology

This term has other meanings, see Fat. Ball model of triglyceride. Oxygen is highlighted in red, carbon is black, hydrogen is white... Wikipedia

Olive oil Vegetable oils, vegetable fats, fats extracted from fruits, seeds, roots and other parts of plants. Vegetable oils mainly (95-97%) consist of triglycerides, the remainder are waxes and phosphatides, ... ... Wikipedia

Before talking about my attitude towards fats and their use in my own diet, as well as in the processes of culinary preparation of dishes that I use, it is necessary to talk about the very concept of “fats” and the attitude that... ... Great Encyclopedia of Culinary Arts

fats- A group of substances included, along with carbohydrates and proteins, in the composition of all animal and plant organisms. The main components of fats are triglycerides (full esters of glycerol and higher fatty acids, mainly oleic, linoleic,... ... Textile glossary

A balanced diet requires the consumption of healthy unsaturated fats. Particularly important among them are omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which the body needs for normal functioning, mental and physical activity. The elements remain fluid at any temperature, so they are not deposited as cholesterol and do not cause obesity or serious diseases. A person's diet should include foods rich in fats of natural origin - subject to the daily norm and the correct nutritional balance. Excessive consumption of saturated processed fat is dangerous to your health. It is recommended to replace or exclude such dishes from the diet.

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• Show all

  Healthy and unhealthy fats

  Fatty acids contained in food are divided into:

  • saturated (animals);
  • vegetable (unsaturated);
  • trans fats (processed).

  To maintain health, the body requires unsaturated, so-called healthy fats. Their sources are unrefined, whole plant products in their original form. They have a molecular structure suitable for humans and move freely through arteries, maintaining elasticity and fluidity.

  Beneficial properties of unsaturated fats:

  • reduce cholesterol levels;
  • increase the elasticity of blood vessels;
  • have a positive effect on the functioning of internal organs;
  • ensure physical and emotional health;
  • increase mental and physical activity.

  Saturated organic acids have a simple structure. They form compounds that can settle in the human body in the form of fat, contaminate blood vessels with cholesterol, and lead to excess weight and obesity. Harmful or trans fats are artificial and processed. The products list them as “partially hydrogenated oils.” According to research by the American Heart Association, excessive consumption of foods rich in these elements increases the risk of developing heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.

  It is wrong to completely give up fats. You should replace foods containing trans fats (industrial baked goods, sweets, fast food) with healthy foods, and limit your consumption of foods of animal origin (high-fat dairy products, red meat). It is imperative to include in your diet foods rich in omega-3 and omega-6 - fish, walnuts, flaxseed oil.

  Daily value as a percentage of total calories:

  Tryptophan - foods rich in amino acids, drugs, benefits and harm to the body

  Properties of saturated fatty acids

  Saturated fats contain heavy fatty acids. They have a higher melting point than unsaturated ones. This allows them to be used in cooking as substitutes for cocoa butter and margarines, despite the danger they pose to human health.

  A high proportion of saturated fat is found in:

  • palm and coconut oils;
  • red meat (pork, beef);
  • dairy products.

  Their excessive consumption is also associated with cardiovascular pathologies, diabetes and obesity. For men, it is recommended no more than 30 g of daily fat intake, for women - no more than 20 g.

  The table shows a list of foods high in saturated and trans fats:

  

  Features of trans fats

  This is a type of unsaturated organic substances of plant and animal origin, subjected to heat and chemical treatment by hydrogenation (industrial hardening). Thanks to this, the products have a long shelf life, which is beneficial for manufacturers.

  A small amount of saturated organic elements is present in natural dairy products and meat. A significant dose is found in vegetable oils that have been subjected to high temperatures, such as refined and deodorized ones. Representatives of hydrogenated elements are margarines and spreads, as well as products containing them.

  The table provides a description of products with trans fats:

  

  Foods rich in carbohydrates - diets for losing weight and gaining muscle mass based on them

  Types of unsaturated fatty acids

  Monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) provide particular benefits to the body if they are not cooked.

  The most popular MUFA is omega-9 oleic acid, which is found in large quantities in olive oil. This group also includes palmitic and other acids. Proper consumption of MUFAs prevents the risk of stroke and heart attack and improves vascular tone. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are a class of essential elements that give dry foods containing oils their characteristic properties. Among them are omega-3 and omega-6, which are essential for health.

  The table lists the types of foods containing unsaturated fatty acids:

  Ways to improve your diet

  In many countries, trans fats are banned or have serious restrictions. According to WHO recommendations, their diet should not exceed 1%. In 2009, the World Health Organization revised this view. Currently, it is advised to completely avoid consuming products containing these components.

  Trans fats remain in the body for a long time and are excreted extremely slowly or almost not at all. If a person does not review his diet and abuses them, this will have a detrimental effect on his health: the risk of heart attacks, strokes, heart and vascular diseases, and excess weight will increase.

  By paying attention to the choice of products for cooking, you can reduce the content of harmful and heavy foods in your diet. Recommended Productsreplace unhealthy fats listed in the table:

  Norm of healthy fats

  A balanced diet must include foods with unsaturated fatty acids. Omega-3 and omega-6 are especially important, with a normal ratio of 1/4. Polyunsaturated components tend to oxidize quickly, the degree of their usefulness depends on freshness and speed of consumption. It is recommended to give preference to raw and lightly salted varieties. Frying or cooking should be minimal.

  Omega-9 is independently reproduced by the body. In case of acute deficiency, you can eat a handful of any nuts per day.

  The table shows the daily intake of omega-3 and omega-6:

  Unsaturated acids in foods

  Your daily food intake should contain 25-35% healthy unsaturated fats. They are sources of vital energy, physical and mental activity, and proper functioning of the heart. These elements are especially important for a lifestyle with increased physical activity and in nutrition programs for weight loss.

  Polyunsaturated acids are not produced by the body and come only from food, so a proper balanced diet, including natural fats, is the key to health and longevity.

  A list of foods rich in healthy fats is presented in the table:

  Product	Fat content (g per 100 g)	Number of calories, kcal	Compound	Benefit for health	Mode of application
  Olive oil	99	898	Vitamin E, antioxidants	Lowers blood pressure, prevents heart disease, reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes	Salads, steamed vegetables, sauces
  Avocado	23	160	Potassium, ascorbic acid, tocopherol, vitamin K, B vitamins, lutein, fiber	Source of potassium and fiber, prevention of cardiovascular diseases	Salads, smoothies, sandwiches, butter replacement
  Walnuts	45	654	Plant protein, vitamin E, magnesium, omega-3	Resists free radicals, reduces the risk of heart disease	Healthy snack, addition to yoghurts, cereals, salads
  Almond	57	575	Antioxidants, vitamin E, vitamin B2, vitamin B9, vitamin PP, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium	Source of vitamins, body rejuvenation, kidney cleansing, choleretic effect, strengthening bone tissue
  Fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, herring)	Up to 25	150-250	Proteins, omega-3	Prevention of cardiovascular diseases, depression, dementia, aging	Baked, boiled, steamed
  Chicken eggs	11,5	157	High-quality protein, carotene, choline, vitamins D, E, K, carotenoids, tocopherols, riboflavin, folic acid, omega-3	Nourishes brain cells and vision, strengthens muscle and bone tissue, improves skin condition	Boiled, steam omelet
  Dark chocolate	35	560	Vitamins A, B and E, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, flavonoids (plant antioxidants)	Normalizes blood pressure, protects the skin from UV rays, improves overall well-being, stimulates brain activity	Healthy snack
  Chia seeds	31	512	Omega-3, calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, antioxidants	Regulation of blood sugar levels, strengthening tooth enamel, reducing appetite and hunger, normalizing the functioning of the cardiovascular system and gastrointestinal tract	As a food additive in finished form, seeds for germination

  
  

  At high temperatures, unsaturated fatty acids lose their beneficial properties and become harmful, negatively affecting the kidneys, liver, digestion, and metabolism. To preserve nutrients, vitamins and minerals, foods should be steamed, boiled or baked.

Vegetable fat - what is it? What products contain it?

Vegetable fat is a phrase that evokes different associations. It prompts some to put the product back on the store shelf, causing superstitious fear of harmful trans fats. And some will prefer healthier ones to creamy ones - again because of vegetable fats. So what do they bring - benefit or harm? Vegetable fat - what is it from the point of view of chemistry, biology and medicine?

Of course, vegetable fats differ in what they contain in plants. Most often they accumulate in seeds. Plants usually store nutrients for the development of a new organism. However, there are exceptions. is extracted from the pulp of palm fruits, olive oil is extracted from the pulp of olives.

What is the difference between the composition of vegetable fats and animal fats? In vegetable oils, those that melt at a lower temperature often predominate.

Classifications

Vegetable fats can be divided into categories according to several criteria. Firstly, they can be liquid and are most often called oils. There are solid vegetable fats such as palm oil and cocoa butter. It’s not entirely correct to call them oils, just like butter, but that’s the way it is in the language.

Drying oils are also distinguished - nut, linseed; semi-drying, for example sunflower; and non-drying ones such as olive and cocoa oil.

Receipt and processing

We will not describe in detail the technologies for obtaining oil and all their possible options. There are two main methods of oil extraction - the pressing method and extraction. In the first case, the mass, pre-treated with moisture and heat, is squeezed out under a press. This method can be considered the cleanest and most environmentally friendly. By the way, the most expensive and healthy olive oil, which can be recognized by the inscription on the Virgin or Extra Virgin packaging, is obtained by cold pressing. The raw material is heated to no more than 27°C. Extra Virgin is characterized by even stricter adherence to technology. The acid content in it should be no more than 1%, and some companies limit it to 0.8%.

But during pressing, a large amount of oil still remains in the raw material. It is not profitable. Therefore, at the next stage - extraction - the oil is extracted using special extraction gasoline. This is already alarming. However, experts assure that if the technologies were followed exactly, the product will not cause any harm. It's best not to buy the cheapest oil.

Benefit

Vegetable fats in foods are of great benefit due to their chemical composition. Fat is very nutritious and replenishes energy reserves. Vegetable oils contain Omega-3 and Omega-6 amino acids. Everyone knows about Omega-3 - this fatty acid is not produced by the human body, so it must be supplied with food. Its deficiency negatively affects the cardiovascular system. Therefore, it is not for nothing that foods rich in this acid are called the food of long-livers. Omega-3 must be contained in the diet of pregnant women so that the development of the nervous system and eyes of the fetus occurs correctly.

Vegetable oils contain vitamins A, D, E.

They contain phospholipids that regulate intracellular fat metabolism, participate in the creation of the structure of brain and liver cells and the removal of excess cholesterol.

Sources of healthy vegetable fats

Healthy vegetable fats - what products are they? We can get them from numerous vegetable oils - sunflower, olive, flaxseed. Oil can be obtained from almost anything, such as pumpkin seeds. A large amount of healthy fats is found in plant seeds, in nuts - after all, they are also seeds, in corn, olives.

Avocado pulp contains healthy monounsaturated fatty acids - Omega-9. They benefit the cardiovascular system and even promote weight loss. Therefore, when eating avocados, you don’t have to count calories.

We can get Omega-3 fatty acid from many vegetable oils: mustard, flaxseed, camelina, rapeseed. Also, to get more Omega-3, you need to eat walnuts.

Harm

Of course, everything is good in moderation. Vegetable fats - what is it from a dietary point of view? They have a very high calorie content - on average 850 kcal per 100 g! Therefore, they need to be consumed in small quantities. A vegetable salad dressed with a spoon of olive oil is a healthy food, especially since fats help absorb fat-soluble vitamins. But french fries fried in a large amount of oil clearly do not benefit the body. And it's not just about calories. When heat treated above 110 degrees, beneficial unsaturated fatty acids begin to break down, and toxic aldehydes and ketones appear in their place. Their harm lies in the fact that they make the walls of blood vessels fragile, and this is a direct path to atherosclerosis, heart attacks, strokes - diseases that most often shorten our lives. So you need to handle oil wisely - it can bring both irreplaceable benefits and harm.

Buyers are increasingly indignant: “What is this? Vegetable fats are placed everywhere, even where they don’t belong!” That's how it happens. Often, manufacturers of dairy and other products replace milk fats with vegetable fats for the sake of cheapness. Cottage cheese and cottage cheese using such components must be designated as cottage cheese and cheese products. Milk fat substitutes are usually made from palm oil and if these oils are of good quality, they are not harmful. So replacing milk fat with vegetable fat will only result in a loss of taste.

In chocolate, cocoa butter is also sometimes replaced with palm oil. Then it cannot be called chocolate - it is a confectionery bar. In this case, the beneficial properties of cocoa butter and, of course, taste are lost. Although, if you noticed, cocoa butter is also a vegetable fat. But more expensive and capricious to produce.

Palm oil is generally used in the food industry. It allows you to greatly reduce the cost of products. However, sometimes, due to savings, insufficiently refined palm oil is used, which is unsuitable for food and intended only for technical purposes.

Trans fats

Trans fats are dangerous - liquid vegetable oils that have become solid due to hydrogenation - saturation with hydrogen bubbles. Molecular acids are distorted. And this leads to the fact that they are embedded in cell membranes and displace beneficial fatty acids from them, blocking the work of enzymes. Disruption of metabolic processes at the cellular level affects all systems of the body and provokes ailments: from obesity and depression to coronary heart disease and cancer.

A typical example of trans fat is margarine. This is a cheap analogue of butter. It is stored much longer than both animal and vegetable fats. In general, a complete benefit for manufacturers. It only causes harm to consumers. Therefore, you need to avoid margarine and the products that it contains - baked goods, chips and other things. And if you really want cookies or pies, it’s better to bake them yourself using butter.

To eat or not to eat?

So is it worth eating them, what vegetable fats are best to include in your menu? As you can understand from the article, the main thing is to approach this issue consciously and, of course, have a sense of proportion. We all know which foods are considered harmful. Even if it is difficult to exclude them from the diet completely, it is worth consuming mayonnaise and ready-made baked goods containing trans fats less often. Give preference to high-quality vegetable oils and nuts, but keep in mind that they are very high in calories, because oil is almost pure fat, and nuts contain up to 60-70%.