Maybe you know the types of fat with the name of the type of good fat and bad fat. However, do you know what fat is called good and evil? Generally, we identify fat with oily and fried foods. We also know fat in meat and many other foods that contain various types of fat. Fat is also made by the body from the excess calories available.

Good type of fat

Good fats are generally found in unsaturated fats. This type of unsaturated fat can be found in liquid form at room temperature, such as olive oil, peanut oil, and corn oil. Unsaturated fatty acids can increase good cholesterol levels in the blood, reduce inflammation, and stabilize the heart rhythm.

Types of good fats include:

1. Monounsaturated fatty acids

This type of fat is found in a variety of foods and oils, such as avocados, olive oil, canola oil, and nuts, such as almonds and hazelnuts. These fatty acids help maintain HDL cholesterol levels and reduce LDL cholesterol levels. Research shows that consumption of foods high in monounsaturated fatty acids can increase blood cholesterol levels which can reduce the risk of heart disease. Research also shows that these fatty acids are useful for controlling insulin levels and blood sugar levels which will reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

2. Polyunsaturated fatty acids

This type of fat is found in many foods, such as fruits and vegetables, and can also be found in vegetable oil. This fatty acid helps reduce LDL cholesterol levels. Research also shows that consumption of foods high in polyunsaturated fatty acids can increase cholesterol levels in the blood so that it can reduce the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

There are two types of polyunsaturated fatty acids, namely omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-3 and omega-6 cannot be produced by the body so it must be obtained from food. Omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Omega-3 can be found in various types of fish, including salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines and herring. Other sources of omega-3s, namely canola oil, soybean oil, and nuts. Meanwhile, omega-6 fatty acids can be found in some nuts and vegetable oils, such as corn oil.

This type of bad fat

Bad fats can be obtained by the body from types of saturated fats and trans fats. Fats that have a high content of saturated fat or contain trans fats are present in solid form at room temperature. Therefore, they are usually called solid fat. This source of fat is found in meat, butter and margarine fat.

The kind of bad fat we have to reduce consumption is:

1. Saturated fats

Saturated fats are found in foods, such as red meat, chicken, dairy products, such as cheese and ice cream, coconut milk, butter, and margarine. Saturated fats can increase LDL cholesterol levels. This type of cholesterol increases the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

2. Trans fat

This type of fat is usually found in small amounts in food, such as meat and dairy products. Most trans fats can be found in fried foods. Foods that go through the frying process contain trans fat because vegetable oil used for frying undergoes a partial hydrogenation process that produces trans fats in these foods. Partial hydrogenation of trans fats can increase LDL cholesterol levels and reduce HDL cholesterol levels. Therefore, eating too much fried food can have a negative impact on health. Trans fats can increase the risk of heart disease. Trans fat intake is recommended not more than 2% of the energy obtained from food.

If you want to reduce the risk of heart disease, you should reduce fat intake and replace saturated fat intake into unsaturated fat intake. This aims to reduce levels of bad cholesterol in the blood.