In order for you to understand what unsaturated fat is, you will first have to understand what fat is and what they are: Fats: are a class of lipids that can be produced by both animals and vegetables, they form large structures and are part of the macronutrients. Fat is always related to health problems, however, our body needs a daily amount of it to produce energy.
Types of fat: Unsaturated fats: being the healthiest of all, most are of vegetable origin but are in some fish as well. Unsaturated fats work by reducing bad cholesterol levels and are present in fish, sunflower oils, soybeans and corn, canola and olive oils and in cashew nuts. They are divided into 2 groups: Polyunsaturated: they are substances that our bodies do not produce and they stand out for having essential fatty acids (omega 3 and 6). It acts in the fight against bad cholesterol and nuts and pumpkin seeds are sources of this fat. Monounsaturated: it works by increasing the levels of good cholesterol and decreasing that of bad. It is found in olives, avocados, peanuts and walnuts. Saturated fats: are fats that are normally present in foods of animal origin, such as meat for example. This fat is not good for the body, it even increases the levels of bad cholesterol, causing serious cardiovascular problems. -The ideal is not to consume more than 16 grams of saturated fat per day. Trans fats: being also very harmful to the body (increasing the level of bad cholesterol and decreasing the level of the good) trans fats are found mainly in processed foods such as cookies, ice cream, margarine, chocolates, etc. These fats have no health benefits! Did you already know this information? Interesting, right ?!