Healthy fats: know their benefits and know where to find them

Whenever we hear about fats, we immediately think of foods that are harmful to our health and that should be completely avoided. However, this is not true.

Fats play important roles for the correct functioning of our body, among them: “protection of organs against mechanical shocks, energy supply, maintenance of body temperature, production of hormones, maintenance of cell structure, transport of proteins, among others. In addition, they make most foods tastier”, highlights Pâmela Miguel, nutritionist at the Functional Nutrition Clinic in São Paulo.

According to the nutritionist, the secret to obtaining the benefits of fat lies in the correct amount and type of fat that will be consumed.

“Good” Fats

The popular “good” fats are actually unsaturated fats (divided into polyunsaturated and monounsaturated). According to nutritionist Pâmela, in addition to performing the functions mentioned above, they bring other health benefits:

• They help to maintain correct levels of cholesterol, reducing the cholesterol known as bad (LDL) and increasing the cholesterol known as good (HDL);
• Reduce blood triglycerides;
• Prevent cardiovascular disease;
• They improve blood circulation.

Pâmela Miguel also highlights that the well-known omegas 3, 6 and 9 are also part of this fat category and, among the benefits they offer, we can highlight:

• Improves the health of the nervous system (improves memory, concentration and reduces the risk of neurodegenerative diseases);
• Improvement of the immune system;
• Anti-inflammatory function.

The nutritionist points out, however, that for omegas 3, 6 and 9 to exert this anti-inflammatory function in the body, they need to be in balance in the body. “But generally, the consumption of omega 6 is much higher, disrupting this balance and impairing the anti-inflammatory action”, she says.

Where to find “good” fats?

Pâmela Miguel highlights that unsaturated fats are found in the following foods:

• Olive oil (extra virgin and consumed cold);
• Vegetable oils: linseed oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, soybean oil, sesame oil, macadamia oil, Brazil nut oil, pumpkin seed oil, sunflower seed oil, etc.
• Fruits like avocado and acai;
• olives;
• Oilseeds: Brazil nuts, walnuts, macadamia nuts, cashew nuts, almonds;
• Sunflower seed, sesame seed, flaxseed, chia seed;
• Deep water fish: sardines, mackerel, anchovies, etc.;
• Fish oils.

“Bad” Fats

On the other hand, “bad” fats belong to a type of fat that causes changes in the body that have no beneficial consequences. “Despite this characteristic, in most cases, it is the excess consumption of this type of fat that brings harm to health and not only its type”, highlights Pâmela Miguel.

Among the “bad” fats, saturated fats of animal origin stand out. “Its main harm to health is the increase in cholesterol levels, mainly raising bad cholesterol (LDL) and reducing good cholesterol (HDL) – which acts as a trigger to trigger other diseases, especially cardiovascular ones. This type of fat also increases the body’s inflammatory processes,” he says.

Another type of fat considered harmful is trans fat. “It is produced industrially, through the modification of unsaturated (‘good’) fats, which are transformed into bad fats that are not recognized by the body. They also raise bad cholesterol (LDL) and reduce good cholesterol (HDL), serving as a trigger to trigger other diseases, especially cardiovascular ones. And they also increase the inflammatory processes of the body”, highlights the nutritionist.

Saturated fats, considered bad, are found in foods of animal origin: meat, milk, cheese, butter. And trans fat is found in most industrialized foods, such as stuffed cookies, cakes, sweets, margarine, among others.

Total cholesterol X LDL X HDL

And as the consumption of fats is closely linked to the cholesterol present in our body, it is essential to understand the relationship between the two subjects.

Pâmela Miguel explains that cholesterol is a compound that has functions in our body, but the elevation or imbalance of its fractions can be harmful to health.

“To be transported by the blood, cholesterol depends on vehicles, called lipoproteins. They take the cholesterol to its site of action to perform its function. The main lipoproteins are LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol”, explains the nutritionist.

LDL-cholesterol became known as “bad cholesterol” because it is associated with cardiovascular disease. “When there is an excess of LDL in the body, this – as it is the main vehicle for cholesterol – ends up depositing the excess on the artery walls, which makes blood circulation difficult, can lead to clogging of the artery and cardiovascular complications”, explains Pâmela. .

HDL-cholesterol, known as “good cholesterol”, does the opposite of LDL-cholesterol, removing cholesterol from the artery walls and taking it to the liver where it will be metabolized. In this way, HDL-cholesterol acts as a protector against cardiovascular diseases.

“It is important to remember that, depending on the nutritional status of the individual, their diet and diseases, both LDL and HDL should be analyzed with caution. Because any change in cholesterol can be harmful at certain times”, highlights Pâmela Miguel.

Now you know the importance of fats for your body and you know that the big problem is consuming them in excess. The tip is to bet more on foods that provide “good” fats, and avoid others that offer “bad” fats. For this, it is important to always rely on the guidance of a nutritionist, who will indicate the appropriate amount of consumption for your case.

The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only. They do not replace the advice and follow-up of doctors, nutritionists, psychologists, physical education professionals and other specialists.