Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Good Fat Bad Fat by Annabel Cruz


Good Fat Bad Fat

by: Annabel Cruz

To familiarize yourself with the good and bad fat

Saturated fats
These "bad" fats are solid at room temperature. They are found mostly in animal foods (meats, poultry, dairy products) and in some vegetable products, such as coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and vegetable shortening. Saturated fat is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, as well as many other cancers and diseases. The liver uses saturated fats to manufacture cholesterol, so it's important to restrict intake of saturated fat for this reason as well. Saturated fats should make up less than 10% of your total fat intake.

Trans-fatty acids
These unnatural fats are created through a process called hydrogenation, which transforms unsaturated fats into saturated fats. But you won't see the words "trans-fatty acids" on food labels. Instead, look for "hydro-genated" or "partially hydrogenated" oil among the ingredients. Margarine, shortening, crackers, baked goods, and junk foods are typically high in hydrogenated oils. Trans-fatty acids extend the shelf life of products, but they do nothing to extend the life of the people who eat them. In fact, trans-fatty acids appear to play a role in causing breast cancer. They also interfere with the body's ability to utilize the good essential fatty acids, raise the level of bad cholesterol, and lower the level of good cholesterol.

Polyunsaturated fats
This group contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which have both good and bad qualities. The omega-3s (also called linolenic oils) are found in flaxseed, hemp seed, walnut oils, and cold-water fish, such as salmon, tuna, and herring. Omega-3s protect against cancer and cardiovascular disease. Omega-6 fatty acids (also called linolenic oil) are found in vegetable oils, such as corn, safflower, and sunflower oils. In small amounts they can lower total cholesterol levels, but in larger amounts they can lower levels of the "good" cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol), and they are associated with an increased risk of cancer

Mono-unsaturated fats
This category includes the fats most often recognized as being healthy: olive oil, peanut oil, or any other fresh, unprocessed oil.

Any fats, even the healthy ones, can turn toxic if heated. Erasmus notes that "Frying once or twice won't kill us, but after ten, twenty, or thirty years of eating fried foods, our cells accumulate altered and toxic products for which they have not evolved efficient detoxifying mechanisms. Un-toasted sesame oil and olive oil are the most stable of the unsaturated oils and therefore may be heated more safely than other unsaturated oils, which include safflower, corn, and canola. These three commonly used oils are treated with sodium hydroxide and phosphoric acid, and are deodorized, bleached, and heated at high temperatures, all of which makes them unhealthy and likely to be carcinogenic.

Fat and Toxins
Dietary fat, especially animal fats, often contain pesticides hormones, fungicides, and other carcinogens. Food animals are fed large amounts of dangerous chemicals to make them fatter faster. These chemicals accumulate in the animal's fat, then are ingested by people. Because these toxins have an affinity for fat, women's breasts are a prime gathering spot for them. Thus, animal fat carries a double danger for women.

Fat and Estrogen

Given the compelling evidence that heightened exposure to estrogen is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, the link between high fat intake and breast cancer is even more convincing. Estrogen has an affinity for fat. As a woman's fat intake increases, so do her levels of estrogen.

Recent study findings illustrate this concept well. At the University of Southern California, researchers found that women's estrogen levels are lowered by up to 23% when their intake of dietary fat is lowered to 10 to 20% of their diet. Significant reductions in estrogen were also seen in diets that contained 18 to 25% of calories from fat.

Scientists have also looked at fat intake, estrogen levels, and incidence of breast cancer among women who eat either a vegetarian or a vegan diet (no animal products at all). Fat intake is typically much lower in these women, so you would expect to ice lower estrogen levels as well. Research findings bear this out. One study of pre-menopausal vegetarians showed estrogen levels 23% lower than in non-vegetarians, while another study of postmenopausal vegans revealed that they had estrogen levels up to 40% lower.

Similarly, obesity is a risk factor for breast cancer, and overweight women have higher levels of estrogen than thinner women. That's because fat cells produce estrogen from the hormone androgen in the body. The higher the percentage of body fat, the greater the production of estrogen.

Some scientists say the relationship between dietary fat and breast cancer risk is so strong, if women reduced their fat intake by 50%, the risk of breast cancer could be lowered by about 250%. Tips on how you can greatly reduce your intake of bad fats and still eat foods you enjoy can be seen in my other article.

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This article is not designed as a substitute for personal medical advice but as a supplement to advice for those wishes to understand more about her condition.

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About The Author
Annabel Cruz is a researcher that studies Natural healing by combining both Western and Eastern ways. Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included. And we provide best pueraria mirifica information on the site. http://www.bestpuerariamirifica.com