Dietary fats come from two sources. Vegetable fats are unsaturated and liquid at room temperature. Animal fats are saturated and solid at room temperature. When plaque, made of fat and cholesterol, builds up inside the arteries that supply the heart with oxygen-rich blood, coronary heart disease can result, according to the National Heart, Blood and Lung Institute. The Cleveland Clinic says that lowering LDL cholesterol can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
Unsaturated Fat
Polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and omega-3 fatty acids are healthy fats because they do not raise LDL-cholesterol, a risk factor for coronary artery disease, and may help to lower LDL cholesterol when consumed as part of a low-saturated, low trans-fat diet, according to the American Heart Association. The American Heart Association's Nutrition Committee advises people over 2 years of age to limit total fat intake to less than 25 to 35 percent of total calories each day. Foods with polyunsaturated fats include seeds, nuts and vegetable oils, such as corn, safflower, sunflower, and cottonseed, according to MayoClinic.com.
Foods with monounsaturated fat include avocado, olive oil, peanut oil and canola oil, according to MayoClinic.com.
Saturated Fat
Saturated fats can increase LDL cholesterol, the bad cholesterol, and increase the risk of coronary heart disease, even more than dietary cholesterol, according to MayoClinic.com. The American Heart Association's Nutrition Committee strongly advises that people over two years of age to limit saturated fat intake to less than 7 percent of the total calories each day. Foods with saturated fat include animal products such as red meat, poultry, pork, seafood, eggs, milk, lard and butter. Coconut and palm oils also contain saturated fat.
Trans Fat
Trans fats are made by an industrial process that adds hydrogen to vegetable oils to solidify the product. Foods that contain trans-fat include processed products such as margarine, partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, fried foods, shortening and commercial baked crackers, cookies and cakes. Research by Q. Sun published in "Circulation" in 2007 demonstrates that high trans fat consumption is a significant risk factor for coronary heart disease. The American Heart Association's Nutrition Committee strongly advises that people over 2 years of age limit trans fat intake to less than 1 percent of the total calories each day. This is less than 2 g per day.
References
- National Heart, Blood and Lung Institute: Coronary Artery Disease
- The Cleveland Clinic: Lipid-Lowering Strategies and Reduction of Coronary Heart Disease Risk
- American Heart Association: Know Your Fats
- MayoClinic.com: Dietary Fats: Know Which Types to Choose
- "Clinical Cardiology"; The Impact of Olive Oil Consumption Pattern on the Risk of Acute Coronary Syndromes; Kontogianni, M.D..; Mar 2007
