- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- recipes today articles
- recipes today q&a
- community & groups
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
From Our Sponsors
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Wise Choices
All Fats Are Not Created Equal
By Elizabeth Yarnell
Saturated fat is pretty easy to identify when you remember that it's a solid at room temperature. It's found in animal and dairy products as well as in many processed foods. Butter, lard and cheese are all examples of saturated fats. Saturated fat is high in cholesterol and has been associated with heart disease and stroke as well as high blood pressure and cancer. The best thing we can do for our own health is to reduce the amount of saturated fat in our diet.
Unsaturated fats fall into two categories: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Monounsaturated fats have one position open for that digestive hydrogen atom to attach to and do the work of digestion. Olive oil is a common source of unsaturated fat. Avocados are another. So even though that avocado may be high in fat, it is monounsaturated fat and our bodies can process and use it efficiently.
Polyunsaturated fats have more than one position available for those hydrogen atoms. These are the most desirable types of fat. They are so desirable, in fact, that polyunsaturated fats are often referred to as "essential fatty acids." Essential fatty acids promote healthy skin and hair. They support proper thyroid and adrenal activity and thus bolster immunity, normal growth processes and energy.
Essential fatty acids promote healthy blood, clean arteries and strong nerves; they are crucial in the transport and breakdown of cholesterol. In many ways, polyunsaturated fats are the antithesis of saturated fats – they are truly essential.
Since the human body does not manufacture its own essential fatty acids, we must get them through our diets. The polyunsaturated fat of omega 6 is found in seeds and nuts, or their oils, while omega 3 polyunsaturated fats appear in fish, seafood, flaxseed oil and to a small extent in green leafy vegetables. Current dietary guidelines suggest two to three servings of fish each week to ensure the body an adequate supply of omega 3 fatty acids, though if you have compromised health you may want to supplement with higher levels of omega 3s.