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Knowing the difference between saturated and unsaturated fats is important in maintaining a healthy body.

What is the difference? First of all, saturated fats originate from animal products, where unsaturated fats originate from plant products.

Unsaturated fats are considered the healthier of the two, if you are watching your cholesterol, since they are considered to be the good fats we can eat. Saturated fats are considered to be unhealthy, since they are linked to heart disease. The main reason for this conclusion is found in the fact that saturated fats could raise the levels of your blood cholesterol to unhealthy levels.

Which foods are high in saturated fats? Meats such as beef, pork, lamb, and the fats associated with beef and poultry. Saturated fats are also present in whole milk products such as butter, milk, cheese, cream, and other dairy products not containing reduced fat. To limit the saturated fats in your dairy products, be sure to choose the 1 % or lower fat content choices available for these products.

If you've seen food product labels stating monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats these are the unsaturated fats.

Which foods contain unsaturated fats? Many of the seafood items, for example, salmon, mackerel, herring, and the plant oils, like olive, peanut, canola, corn and sunflower oils.

Some by products from plant oils also contain saturated fats, such as, cocoa butter, palm oil, and coconut oil.

Beware of the fats and oils that undergo the process of hydrogenation, where hydrogen is added to the product to extend the shelf life. That is why the widespread term of trans fat, is now recognized as an unhealthy contributor to adverse health effects. The problem is that trans fatty oils can raise the blood cholesterol levels, therefore, increasing the risk of heart disease.

To reduce the saturated fats in your diet, choosing a diet rich in nutritional foods such as leafy green vegetables, fruits, whole grains and cereals, fish and seafood, along with lean meats, can help promote a healthy lifestyle.

Most of your food should come from unsaturated fats, to avoid the harmful effects that some of the saturated trans fat foods contain. Your total fat intake should remain relatively low compared to the whole percentage of caloric intake.

Following a diet limiting the amount of saturated foods and incorporating more healthy unsaturated fats, should lead you to a healthy regimen of food control and fitness.

Learn more about this author, Eva Perry.
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