Fat and Dietary Fiber

Fat and Dietary Fiber

Ashley

SCI/241

05.30.2012

Sheila Jones

When learning about fats it is important to understand that fats do have similarities. For example, all fats provide your body with energy. Another similarity of all fat’s is, they all contain 9 calories per gram. Some fats are bad for your body, like Tran’s fat, and saturated fats. Hydrogenated fat is another name for Tran’s fat. These “bad fat’s” raise the body’s cholesterol level, and increases the risk for heart disease. Tran’s fat is the name used for unsaturated fat with fatty acids. Tran’s fats are separated into two categories; poly-saturated and mono-saturated. Trans-fatty acids are created during a process called hydrogenation, or the processing of vegetable oils. These acids are particularly dangerous for the heart, and pose high risks for certain cancers. Trans-fatty acids are most commonly found in fried foods, processed foods, and margarine. Saturated fat is considered the “good fat,” or “solid fats” for the body. Saturated fat contains triglycerides, derived from glycerol. Diets high in saturated fats have been associated with chronic diseases, especially coronary heart disease. (http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/healthy-eating/nutrition/good-and-bad-fats/ )The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends not consuming more than 10% of daily calories from saturated fat.( http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2010.asp) Saturated Fats come from dairy products, meat, whole-fat milk and cream, butter, and certain oils.

Both lipids and fibers have various functions in the body, and provide the body with the essentials to maintain healthy organ function. Three common lipid types are fats, steroids, and phospholipids. Steroids are cholesterol acquired hormones responsible for regulating many psychological functions in the body. Phospholipids are one of the main components of cell membranes. Fats are made of glycerol and fatty acids....