Impact of Visible Fats, Trans Fats, and Cholesterol

Visible and Invisible Fats in Your Diet

Concept of visible and invisible fat: Milk and dairy products are items where the fat is often not visible. Visible fat is found in butter, margarine, oil, bacon, sausage, and pork. Invisible fat is present in milk, some meats, ready meals, cakes, pastries, and ice cream. This presence of hidden fats often reduces dietary control.

The Dangers of Trans Fatty Acids

In foods, we can find other types of fats that are rich in processed fats. These fatty acids, called trans fatty acids, result from hydrogenation processes where vegetable fats are saturated with hydrogen to solidify them. These modified fats are used in pies, cakes, cookies, pastries, and margarine. They are characterized by a greater resistance to oxidation (they do not go rancid as easily), but they have a worse impact on health—even worse than saturated fats. They have been shown to raise "bad" cholesterol and lower "good" cholesterol.

Foods rich in trans fats: Butter, cookies, chips, ice cream, and pastries. These are usually hidden and disguised as healthy fats.

Understanding Cholesterol and Its Functions

Cholesterol is a substance essential for life. It is the main structural component of all cells and the basic component of steroid hormones. In fact, of all the cholesterol in our body, 80% is manufactured by our liver and only 20% comes from the diet. One must maintain optimal levels, as both an excess or a deficiency increases mortality in general.

Factors Affecting Cholesterol Levels

Disorders in cholesterol levels may be due to several factors, the main ones being:

• Obesity (especially in the midsection)
• A sedentary lifestyle
• A high intake of saturated fats

It has been shown that for people with high cholesterol, reducing sugars (especially those with a high glycemic index) and increasing the amount of unsaturated fats in the diet produces very positive effects.

Foods High in Cholesterol to Limit

Remember that cholesterol is essential as it is a precursor of testosterone, progesterone, estradiol, aldosterone, cortisol, bile acid, and vitamin D; the problem is the excess.

Avoid or limit:

• Organ meats
• Seafood (shrimp, squid, crabs, and somewhat less in small mollusk shells)
• Fatty cheeses
• Butter and margarine
• Whole eggs (yolks)