You MUST eat fats. For health, people should get an average of 20-35% of all calories from fat, but not less than 10%. Today you will find out why and what kind of fats should be in your diet. Read about the benefits of fats for the body, which fats are the most useful, what is the difference between saturated and unsaturated fatty acid and get a list of the most abundant foods!

Not only excess, but also a lack of fat can cause serious problems with health. You must consume fat every day to keep your body functions in order. The benefits of fats for the body are as follows:

1. They supply the body with essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that the body cannot produce on its own. These fatty acids play an important role in maintaining healthy heart and brain cells. They also struggle with inflammatory processes, affect cellular signaling and many other cellular functions, as well as mood and behavior.
2. Fat helps to absorb some nutrients, such as the fat-soluble vitamins(A, D, E, and K) and (e.g. lycopene and beta-carotene). Meanwhile, vitamin A is essential for good vision, vitamin D - for the absorption of calcium, healthy bones and teeth, E - to protect cells from free radicals and beauty of the skin, and K - for normal blood clotting.
3. Fats are a source of energy and main way its storage. 1 gram of fat contains 9 calories, while carbohydrates and protein only 4, and alcohol - 7. Although carbohydrates are the main source of energy for the body, our body uses fat as a "reserve fuel" when carbohydrates are in short supply.
4. Adipose tissue insulates the body and helps maintain it normal temperature... Other fat cells surround vital important organs and protect them from external influences... Wherein adipose tissue is not always visible and striking only when overweight.
5. Finally, fat plays an important role in the maintenance of all cells in the body. The cell membranes themselves are created from phospholipids, which means that they are also fatty. Many tissues in the human body are lipid (i.e., fatty), including our brain and the fatty membrane that insulates the nervous system.

Simply put, all the fat we eat is:

• either becomes part of tissues and organs in our bodies,
• either used as energy,
• or stored in adipose tissue.

Therefore, even if you are losing weight, food sources of fat should definitely be part of your diet.

By the way, how dangerous are fats for weight loss?

People gain weight when they consume more calories (from fat, carbohydrates, protein, and alcohol) than they burn. Therefore, in overweight overeating in general + low physical activity as well as sugar. It is he who actually causes the accumulation of fat in the body. High blood sugar causes the pancreas to release insulin, which causes fat cells to absorb excess glucose and convert it into even more fat on your sides.

Yes, as we said above, fat contains more calories per gram than protein, carbohydrates and even alcohol, but it also makes food more flavorful and filling. And this allows you to quickly feel satisfaction from food without overeating. A weight loss diet that includes some fats will not only be healthier, but also more successful in the long run, as it will reduce the likelihood of relapse.

Another thing is that fat often comes to us from such tempting sources as french fries, hamburgers, cakes, thick steaks, etc. Perhaps this is why, according to statistics, the diet of people on average contains not 20-35 recommended% fat, but 35 -40%. As a result, all the benefits of fats for the body begin to turn into harm. Exceeding consumption rates fatty foods often leads to the following problems:

1. Excess weight.
2. High cholesterol levels, which in turn increase the risk of developing ischemic disease hearts.
3. Probability of development diabetes mellitus 2nd type.
4. Increased risk of heart disease and certain cancers (particularly breast and colon cancer).

To avoid this, women are advised to eat no more than 70 g of fat per day, and men - no more than 95 g. For a more personalized figure, start from the target number of calories. So, with the goal of consumption of 1800 Kcal per day, the amount of fat consumed should be 360-630 Kcal or 40-70 g. Some nutritionists also recommend adhering to simple rule: there is 1 g of fat per 1 kg of body weight per day.

So, what kind of fats is better to choose for weight loss and overall health?

What fats are most useful for the body

Choosing the right sources of fat for your diet is one of the better ways reduce the risk of developing heart disease. For this purpose (and the maintenance of overall health), unsaturated fatty acids are the most beneficial. Here is a list of them:

• poline saturated fat omega-3 and omega-6;
• monounsaturated fats omega-7 and omega-9.

Polyunsaturated fats supply the body with essential fatty acids, help to reduce the level of bad cholesterol blood levels and triglyceride levels, support bone, hair, skin health, immunity, and reproductive function.

Omega 3 fatty acids help to strengthen the heart, protect the blood vessels in the brain, support immune system and improve your mood. On the list of healthy omega-3 fats, the most important for humans are ALA (alpha linolenic acid), DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). Alpha-linolenic acid has a beneficial effect on the heart and enters the body from plant sources(flax, hemp, chia seeds, etc.). The other two acids can be obtained primarily from fatty fish (salmon, trout, herring, mackerel) and other seafood. Fish is believed to contain the most effective type of omega-3 for prevention cardiovascular disease... The American Heart Association recommends eating 2 servings of oily fish per week.

Fatty acid omega 6 play an important role in brain function, normal growth and development, skin and eye health. Omega-6 linoleic acid is used by our body to build cell membranes. However, evolutionary scientists believe that modern man consumes too much omega-6 and not enough omega-3. In a hunter-gatherer diet, the ratio of these fats should be about 1: 1, while it is currently 16: 1 on average. Excessive amounts of omega-6s in the diet can lead to inflammation, which is associated with heart disease. In addition, these fatty acids have come to us frequently from refined foods rather than whole foods. Omega 6 can be found in meat, eggs, corn, sunflower, soy, and safflower oils.

Other healthy fats, monounsaturated fatty acids also reduce the risk of heart disease, help lower bad LDL cholesterol, raise good HDL cholesterol, protect arteries from plaque buildup, and are often good source antioxidant vitamin E. They are in a large number found in nuts, avocados, and olives.

The discovery that monounsaturated fats are beneficial for the body came from the Seven Countries Study in the 1960s. It showed that people in Greece and other parts of the Mediterranean region have relatively low level heart disease despite a diet with high content fat. It is noteworthy that the main fat in their diet was not saturated animal fat, but olive oil which is a rich source of monounsaturated fat. This discovery sparked a resurgence of interest in olive oil and the Mediterranean diet in general as a healthy eating style.

And although today there is no recommended daily allowance consumption of monounsaturated fats, nutritionists recommend consuming them along with polyunsaturated fats to replace saturated and trans fats in your diet.

Saturated and unsaturated fats: difference, ratio in the diet

As you probably know, the fat we consume has 2 main forms: unsaturated and saturated. Both types provide approximately the same amount of calories. Therefore, for weight loss, it does not matter what fats you eat. Too many calories? This means that you will gain weight, regardless of whether the beneficial fatty acids enter your body or not.

What is the difference between saturated and unsaturated fats, and why are some better than others?

Saturated itself refers to the number of hydrogen atoms that surround each carbon atom in fat. The more hydrogen, the richer the fat. In reality, this is expressed as follows: saturated fat with room temperature become solid(remember how after frying meat, bacon or lard, the melted animal fat in a pan gradually solidifies), while unsaturated ones remain fluid(like most vegetable oils).

Saturated fat's ability to solidify is widely used in the confectionery and bakery industry. In the composition of butter, palm oil and milk fat, they are found in all kinds of desserts, cakes, pastries and various pastries. Other sources of saturated fat include meats, cheeses and other whole milk products, and coconut oil.

Is saturated fat harmful to human health?

In fact, research has not yet collected enough evidence that saturated fat increases the risk of heart disease. There is incomplete evidence that excessive consumption of these hardening fats contributes to high total cholesterol, plaque build up on the arteries, increased risk of colon cancer, and prostate... 2 large studies have shown that replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat and high fiber carbohydrates does reduce the risk of heart disease (whereas a processed carbohydrate diet does the opposite).

However, over the course of evolution, humans evolved by consuming unprocessed forms of saturated fat (game meat, whole milk, eggs, coconuts) along with fish and plant foods. Therefore, a certain amount of them should also be present in our diet, at least for:

• lowering the level of lipoprotein (a), high level which increases the risk of heart disease;
• cleansing the liver of fat (saturated fat stimulates liver cells to get rid of it);
• brain health ( most of the brain and myelin sheath is composed of saturated fat);
• proper functioning of the immune system (saturated fats such as myristic and lauric acids play an important role in maintaining immunity and are even found in breast milk mothers).

The correct ratio of unsaturated to saturated fat in the diet

Due to the availability of animal products and the low prevalence of whole plant foods, modern market, people began to get too much saturated fat in relation to unsaturated fat. And even worse, combining them with processed carbohydrates, which usually leads to health problems.

If the total fat in the human diet should be 20-35% of all calories, then saturated should not be more than 10% (about 20 grams with a goal of 1800 Kcal / day). This ratio is recommended by WHO and most other health experts, while the American Heart Association advises sticking to the 7% threshold. the total calories or no more than 14 grams.

Which fats are really dangerous?

There is still one type of fat that a person should completely eliminate from their diet. This trans fatty acids, which are found in nature only in small doses and enter the body, as a rule, from processed foods. Most trans fats are found in margarine and other hydrogenated oils. For its production, vegetable oil is heated in the presence of hydrogen and a catalyst from heavy metal(such as palladium). This forces the hydrogen to bind with the hydrocarbon present in the oil and convert the fat from liquid and perishable to hard and storage resistant product.

Unlike saturated and unsaturated fats, trans fats are empty calories with no benefit to the human body. On the contrary, diets high in trans fat contribute to:

• an increase in bad LDL cholesterol and the development of cardiovascular diseases;
• an increased risk of developing colon and breast cancer;
• complications of pregnancy (early childbirth and preeclampsia) and disorders in infants, since trans fats are passed from the mother to the fetus;
• the development of allergies, asthma and asthmatic eczema in adolescents;
• the development of type II diabetes;
• obesity ().

In a 6-year study, monkeys on a trans fat diet gained 7.2% of their weight, while monkeys on a monounsaturated fat diet gained only 1.8%.

Trans fats are worse than any other fat, including butter or lard. There is no safe level of their consumption: even 2% of total calories (4 grams against a target of 1800 Kcal) increases the risk of heart disease by 23%!

Most trans fatty acids are found in cakes, cookies and bread (about 40% of total consumption), animal products (21%), French fries (8%), margarine (7%), chips, popcorn, candy and breakfast cereals (5% each), as well as confectionery fat (4%). You will find it in all foods containing partially hydrogenated butter, most fast foods, frostings, dairy-free creams, and ice cream. Try to avoid such food!

Healthy Fats: Food List

Below we have compiled for you a list of foods that contain the most healthy polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. All figures are taken for Database for standard reference and are based on 100 g of each product. Keep a note and use it to your health!

As you can see, natural vegetable oils are the richest and helpful sources unsaturated fats. For comparison, we give you data on other popular fats, including poultry and fish.

What other foods contain unsaturated fats

Other sources of unsaturated fat

Finally, here's another list of weight loss foods that contain healthy fats. They are not as rich in unsaturated fatty acids per 100 g as oils and nuts, but they can also be part of your daily diet.

1. Eat less, but more often - every 3 hours, for example, with a snack with unroasted nuts.
2. Add more protein and fiber-rich foods to your diet to help you avoid overeating and feel fuller longer.

Be healthy!

Fasting in 4 parts, about saturated and unsaturated fats, about harmful and healthy oils, about trans fats, about the role of fats in the human body. The material about healthy and harmful oils will not be quite in the mainstream of the traditional presentation.

Fats in the human body play the role of an energy source, and are also a material for the construction of living cells in the body. They dissolve a number of vitamins and serve as a source of many biologically active substances.

Fat enhances the palatability of food and induces long-lasting satiety. With a lack of fat in our diet, there may be such disorders in the state of the body as changes in the skin, eyesight, kidney disease, weakening of the immune mechanisms, etc.

In experiments carried out on animals, it has been proven that not enough fat in the diet contributes to a reduction in life expectancy.

Fats (fatty acids) are found in plants and animal fats. They are divided into two types, depending on the chemical structure and molecular bonds, saturated and unsaturated fatty acid ... The latter are also divided into two types - monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

1. UNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS

Unsaturated fatty acid are fatty acids that contain, by at least, one double bond in the chain of fatty acid molecules. Depending on their saturation, they are divided into two groups:

• monounsaturatedfatty acids containing one double bond


• polyunsaturatedfatty acids containing more than one double bond

The greatest biological significance of unsaturated fatty acids have polyunsaturated fatty acids, namely the so-called essential fatty acids (vitamin F).

This is first and foremost linoleic (Omega-6 polyunsaturated FA) and linolenic (Omega-3 polyunsaturated FA); also highlight Omega-9 acids, which include, for example, oleic - monounsaturated fatty acid.

Omega-3 and Omega-6 unsaturated fatty acids are essential (i.e., vital) food components that our body cannot synthesize by itself.

Both types of unsaturated fats are predominantly found in plant foods.These acids are considered more suitable for healthy eating than saturated fatty acids ... In fact, some of them have the ability to lower cholesterol and blood pressure thereby reducing the risk of heart disease.

Linoleic acid, oleic acid, myristoleic acid, palmitoleic acid and arachidonic acid are some of the unsaturated fatty acids.

Unsaturated fatty acids are found in all fats. V vegetable fats their content, as a rule, is higher than in animals (although there are exceptions to this rule among vegetable and animal fats: solid Palm oil and liquid fish oil, for example).

The main sources of unsaturated fatty acids and especially irreplaceable ones for humans are olive, sunflower, sesame, rapeseed oil, fat contained in fish and marine mammals.

PRODUCTS CONTAINING MONOUNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS

olive oil, olives

Sesame oil

rapeseed oil
peanut butter, peanuts

avocado fruit

nuts almonds

cashew nuts
pistachio nuts
hazelnuts

PRODUCTS CONTAINING POLYUNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS

corn oil

sunflower oil, sunflower seeds
soybean oil
salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines, trout, tuna, red caviar, shellfish (lots of Omega-3)

flaxseed, flaxseed oil (lots of Omega-3)

sesame seeds, sesame oil

soybeans, tofu cheese

walnuts (lots of Omega-3)
wheat germ, their oil

ADVANTAGES OF UNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS

Unsaturated fatty acids (FA) are monobasic fatty acids in the structure of which there are one (monounsaturated) or two or more (polyunsaturated fatty acids, abbreviated PUFA) double bonds between adjacent carbon atoms. Their synonym is unsaturated fatty acids. Triglycerides, consisting of such fatty acids, are called, respectively, unsaturated fats.

There are several health benefits of unsaturated fatty acids. Foods containing monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats are considered healthier than those containing saturated fatty acids.

The fact is that molecules saturated fatty acids entering the bloodstream, tend to mess with each other , that leads to formation in arteries circulatory system cholesterol plaques ... In turn, unsaturated fats are made up of large molecules that do not build compounds in the blood. This allows blood to pass through the arteries unhindered.

The main benefit of unsaturated fats is the ability to lower the levels of "bad" cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. , as a result of which the likelihood of heart disease such as strokes and heart attacks is reduced.

Of course, it is nearly impossible to eliminate all saturated fat from the diet, but many of them can be replaced with unsaturated fat.

For example, switching to olive oil when added to food (but not cooked) can significantly reduce your intake of saturated fat.

These dietary oils contain fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin A, D and E that are necessary to maintain health.
Vitamins A and E are antioxidants and help support the immune system so that we stay healthy. They also aid in blood circulation and prevent the formation of cholesterol plaques in the arteries.

Vitamin D is essential for the growth and development of bones and muscles.

ADVANTAGES OF UNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS:

• have an antioxidant effect


• have anti-inflammatory effect


• lower blood pressure


• reduce the risk of certain cancers


• improve the condition of hair and skin


• improve blood flow (prevention of blood clots)

Compared to saturated fatty acids, the pattern in relation to melting point in unsaturated (unsaturated) ones, the opposite is true: the more fat contains unsaturated fatty acids, the lower its melting point. Thus, if you have oil in front of you, which remains liquid even in the refrigerator, at a temperature of 2-6 ° C, you can be sure that unsaturated (unsaturated) fats prevail in it.

It is very important that the fats consumed in food are fresh, that is, not oxidized.

The unsaturated oils themselves, as well as the culinary products prepared with their use, go rancid when long-term storage that tastes strongly.

V stale or overheated fats accumulate harmful substances , which serve as irritants of the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, affect metabolic disorders. V dietary nutrition such fats are strictly prohibited.

Therefore, to increase the shelf life of products in the confectionery industry, unfortunately, such oils are often replaced with oils with low content unsaturated fatty acids. A particularly dangerous trend is the use of hydrogenated fats (margarine) containing harmful trans isomers of fatty acids (trans fats) which are much cheaper natural oils they also significantly increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Consumption rates for unsaturated fatty acids have not been established, however, it is believed that their amount in terms of calories in the total diet should be about 10%-30%, or, alternatively, the total amount of fat from all foods consumed during the day is calculated as 1 gram per 1 kg of weight person.

It should be noted that monounsaturated fatty acid can be synthesized in organism from saturated fatty acids and carbohydrates. Therefore, they are not considered essential or essential fatty acids.

With dietary nutrition, the qualitative and quantitative composition of fats may change. A reduced amount of fat is recommended for pancreatitis, atherosclerosis, hepatitis, diabetes, exacerbation of enterocolitis, obesity.

With the depletion of the body and during the recovery period after prolonged illnesses, injuries, on the contrary, it is recommended to increase the daily rate of fat to 100 - 120 grams.

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2. SATURATED FATTY ACIDS

Saturated (or saturated fatty acids) are monobasic fatty acids in the structure of which there are no double bonds between adjacent carbon atoms. The absence of double or unsaturated bonds significantly reduces the reactivity (the ability to combine with other molecular structures) of saturated fatty acids, that is, to participate in the biochemical processes of the body.

The biological role of saturated fat is much less diverse than that of unsaturated fat.

V food products these substances are found in the composition of fats of both animal and vegetable origin.

Animal fats are generally higher in saturated fatty acids than vegetable fats. In this regard, a clear pattern should be noted:the more saturated fatty acids a fat contains, the higher its melting point. That is, if we compare sunflower and butter, it immediately becomes clear that solid butter has a much higher content of saturated fatty acids.

An example saturated oil vegetable origin serves palm oil, the benefits and harms of which are actively discussed in modern society.

An example unsaturated animal oil is fish oil.

There are also artificial saturated fats obtained by hydrogenation of unsaturated ones. Hydrogenated fat is the basis of margarine, hard palm oil, and they are the most harmful.

PRODUCTS CONTAINING SATURATED FATTY ACIDS

The most significant representatives of saturated fatty acids are

stearic acid:

in lamb fat, its content reaches 30%,
in vegetable oils - up to 10%;

palmitic acid:

in palm oil is 39-47%,
in cow butter - about 25%,
soybean - 6.5%,
and in lard - 30%.

Other saturated fatty acids are lauric, myristic, margarine, capric and other acids.

The biological role of saturated fatty acids is that they are for the human body are primarily source of energy. They also, along with unsaturated take part inbuilding cell membranes, synthesis of hormones,transfer and assimilation of vitamins and minerals.

Having little adipose tissue, that is, little saturated fat in the body, women are not only much more likely to suffer from infertility in reproductive age, but also more difficult to endure menopause, suffering from illness and stress due to hormonal imbalance.

On the other hand, the harm of excess adipose tissue, that is, obesity, is also not in doubt. V modern conditions physical inactivity and overeating, a person should strive to reduce saturated fatty acids in their diet - the energy value the human diet today and so, as a rule, is above the norm,

a essential for building cell membranes fatty acids can be synthesized by the body (subject to sufficient energy content of the diet).

Excessive consumption of saturated fat is one of the critical factors risk of developing obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular and other diseases. Consumption norms for saturated fats have not been established, however, it is believed that their energy value in the diet should not exceed 10% of the total amount of fats.

However, in harsh climatic conditions, for example, in the Far North, the need for energy increases sharply, therefore, it is necessary to introduce into the diet a larger amount of fats, including saturated fatty acids - the most energetically valuable component.

If unsaturated fats are healthier than saturated fats in terms of nutrition, then in the field of cooking the opposite is true: it is better to cook food on animal fats, that is, on saturated.

When you fry food in vegetable oil, the double bonds of unsaturated fatty acids will undergo intense oxidation to form carcinogens that cause cancer.

The most important non-food area of ​​application of saturated fatty acids is soap making. Sodium and potassium salts these compounds form the basis of all types of soap. Actually, the soap is made by saponification of the corresponding saturated fats.

Fats to be 100% eliminated

Trans fats

Trans fats are formed during the industrial hardening of liquid vegetable oils.Trans fats are found in confectionery, chips, popcorn, fish sticks, industrial cutlets, ketchup, mayonnaise, French fries, whites, pasties, refined vegetable oil (ordinary refined sunflower oil, corn oil, which was included in the cooking of almost all families), in purchased baked goods, in cholesterol-free cheeses, in margarine and in a spread.

Trans fats are associated with high risk cardiovascular disease, asthey raise the level of bad blood cholesterol (LDL) and lower the level of good cholesterol (HDL), as well as cause inflammation and obesity .

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VISUAL GRAPHICS

Once again about how the body uses fats and oils, as well as what leads to their lack and excess; how much fats and oils are in 100 grams of certain foods:

Which foods contain saturated, unsaturated fats, trans fats:

Which foods contain "bad fats" that should be cut in the diet, and "good fats" should be included in the diet. Coconut and palm oils indicated in the column "saturated fats" mean their hydrogenated forms (non-hydrogenated palm and coconut oils are not harmful):

What foods contain harmful trans fats, more detailed diagram:

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All materials and oils and fats in our two blogs with my daughter can be found here:

About influence TRANSJIERS on health, in particular contained in palm oils found in industrial food products, you can readand

You can read about the properties of margarines; about healthy oils and about butter; about harmful oils. These four materials in a very non-trivial presentation, still little known, very modern, which we also adhere to (irina_co, kulinarium) .

- Coconut and palm oil - representatives of medium-chain triglycerides in the world of vegetable oils and fats , on the importance of their use in sports and dietary nutrition.

The human body is created from living tissues, which during life process not only perform their functions, but also recover from damage, maintaining their performance and strength. Of course, for this they need nutrients.

Human nutritional balance

Food supplies the body with the energy it needs to support all bodily processes, especially muscle function and tissue growth and renewal. It should be remembered that the main thing in proper nutrition- balance. Balance is the optimal combination of foods from five groups necessary for human nutrition:

• milk products;
• fat-fortified foods;
• cereals and potatoes;
• vegetables and fruits;
• protein food.

Types of fatty acids

The unsaturated ones also share. The latter are polyunsaturated and monounsaturated. Saturated fatty acids are found in butter and hard margarines, polyunsaturated fatty acids are found in vegetable oil, fish products and some soft margarines. Monounsaturated acids are found in rapeseed, flaxseed and olive oils. The most necessary and healthy among them are the last.

Health Effects of Unsaturated Fatty Acids

They have antioxidant properties and protect blood cholesterol from oxidation. The recommended intake of polyunsaturated acids is about 7% of the daily portion and monounsaturated acids - 10-15%.

Unsaturated fatty acids are essential for normal work the whole organism. The most valuable of them are the Omega-3 and Omega-6 complexes. They are not synthesized independently in the human body, but are vital for it. Therefore, it is imperative to include them in the diet, choosing the most optimal food products rich in these substances.

Properties of omega acids

Nutritionists have long been interested in the functions of omega-3 acids and their derivatives - prostaglandins. They tend to turn into mediating molecules that stimulate or suppress inflammation, are very useful for swelling of the joints, muscle pain, bone pain, which is often noted in the elderly. Unsaturated fatty acids strengthen the immune system, mitigate manifestations rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

They improve bone mineralization while increasing bone density and strength. In addition, omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids are extremely beneficial for the heart and blood vessels. Complexes of omega-unsaturated acids are also successfully used in cosmetic purposes as food additive, they have a positive effect on skin health. Saturated and unsaturated fatty acids differ in their dietary properties: unsaturated fat has fewer calories than saturated fat. Chemical molecules Omega-3 are made up of a pair of 3 carbon atoms with methyl carbon, and Omega-6 are linked by a pair of 6 carbon atoms with a methyl carbon. Omega-6 fatty acids are most found in vegetable oils and in all types of nuts.

Foods with a high concentration of unsaturated fatty acids

Saltwater fish such as tuna, salmon and mackerel are generous with omega-unsaturated fatty acids. To their plant analogues linseed and rapeseed oil, pumpkin seeds, different kind nuts. Fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids. It can be completely replaced by linseed oil.

The best source of these substances is oily fish like mackerel, but unsaturated fatty acids can be added to your diet in different ways.

1. Buy omega-3 fortified foods. Nowadays they are often added to bread, milk and cereal bars.
2. To enjoy linseed oil replacing sunflower and butter. Add ground flax-seed into flour for baking, salads, soups, cereals, yoghurts and mousses.
3. Include nuts in your diet, in particular walnuts, Brazilian nuts, pine nuts and others.
4. Add unrefined olive oil to any food. It not only saturates the body with essential acids, but also helps to digest food.

Unsaturated fatty acids should be used with caution in patients with diabetes or taking anticoagulants. May affect blood clotting and sugar regulation. Pregnant women cannot take fish oil, because it contains a lot of vitamin A, which is dangerous for intrauterine development fetus.

Unsaturated fatty acids in foods

Monounsaturated acids are generous:

• fish fat;
• olives;
• avocado;
• vegetable oils.

Polyunsaturated fats:

• nuts;
• pumpkin, sunflower, flax, sesame seeds;
• fatty fish;
• corn, cottonseed, sunflower, soybean and flaxseed oils.

Saturated fats are not as bad as people think they are, and should not be completely discarded. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats should be the main ones in the daily portion of fat, and from time to time are necessary for the body, as they promote the absorption of proteins, fiber, and improve the work of sex hormones. If fats are completely removed from the diet, memory functions are weakened.

Trans isomers in consumed food

In the process of making margarine, unsaturated vegetable fats are modified under the action of high temperatures causing trans-isomerization of molecules. Everything organic matter have a specific geometric structure. When margarine solidifies, the cis isomers transform into trans isomers, which affect the metabolism of linolenic acid and provoke an increase in the level bad cholesterol causing diseases of the heart and blood vessels. Oncologists claim that trans isomers of unsaturated fatty acids provoke cancer.

What foods contain the most trans isomers?

Of course, there are a lot of them in fast food cooked in a lot of fat. For example, chips contain about 30%, while french fries contain more than 40%.

In products confectionery production trans isomers of unsaturated fatty acids are in the range from 30 to 50%. In margarines, their number reaches 25-30%. In mixed fats, during the frying process, 33% of mutational molecules are formed, since during overheating, the transformation of molecules occurs, which accelerates the formation of trans-isomers. If margarine contains about 24% of trans isomers, then during the frying process their level increases significantly. In crude oils of vegetable origin there are up to 1% of trans isomers, in butter their about 4-8%. In animal fats, trans isomers are in the range from 2% to 10%. Remember that trans fats are trash and should be avoided altogether.

The effect of polyunsaturated fatty acids on the human body has not yet been fully studied, but even now it is obvious that for a healthy active life, a person must enter into his food diet foods that include unsaturated fatty acids.

Saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, fatty substances and their role in normal functioning the human body. Consumption rates of these substances.

Adequate nutrition theory as a scientific basis for good nutrition.

Vitamins: vitamin deficiency and hypovitaminosis. Classification signs of vitamins.

1. Saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, fatty substances and their role in normal functioning human body... Consumption rates of these substances.

Fats - organic compounds, which are part of animal and plant tissues and consist mainly of triglycerides (esters of glycerol and various fatty acids). In addition, the composition of fats includes substances with high biological activity: phosphatides, sterols, some vitamins. A mixture of different triglycerides constitutes what is called neutral fat. Fat and fat-like substances are commonly referred to as lipids.

In humans and animals, the greatest amount of fat is found in the subcutaneous fatty tissue and adipose tissue located in the omentum, mesentery, retroperitoneal space, etc. Fats are also found in muscle tissue, bone marrow, liver and other organs. In plants, fats accumulate mainly in the fruit bodies and seeds. The so-called oilseeds are especially high in fat. For example, in sunflower seeds, fats are up to 50% or more (in terms of dry matter).

The biological role of fats lies primarily in the fact that they are part of the cellular structures of all types of tissues and organs and are necessary for the construction of new structures (the so-called plastic function). Fats are of paramount importance for vital processes, since together with carbohydrates they participate in the energy supply of all vital functions of the body. In addition, fats, accumulating in the adipose tissue surrounding the internal organs, and in the subcutaneous fatty tissue, provide mechanical protection and thermal insulation of the body. Finally, the fats that make up adipose tissue serve as a reservoir of nutrients and take part in metabolic and energy processes.

Natural fats contain more than 60 types of different fatty acids with different chemical and physical properties and thus determining the differences in the properties of the fats themselves. Fatty acid molecules are "chains" of carbon atoms linked together and surrounded by hydrogen atoms. The chain length determines many properties, both of the fatty acids themselves and of the fats formed by these acids. Long-chain fatty acids are solid, short-chain fatty acids are liquid. The higher the molecular weight of fatty acids, the higher their melting point, and, accordingly, the melting point of the fats that contain these acids. At the same time, the higher the melting point of fats, the worse they are absorbed. All low-melting fats are absorbed equally well. By digestibility, fats can be divided into three groups:

fat with a melting point below human body temperature, digestibility 97-98%;

fat with a melting point above 37 °, digestibility about 90%;

fat with a melting point of 50-60 °, digestibility about 70-80%.

According to their chemical properties, fatty acids are divided into saturated (all bonds between the carbon atoms forming the "backbone" of the molecule are saturated or filled with hydrogen atoms) and unsaturated (not all bonds between carbon atoms are filled with hydrogen atoms). Saturated and unsaturated fatty acids differ not only in their chemical and physical properties, but also in biological activity and "value" for the body.

Saturated fatty acids are found in animal fats. They have low biological activity and can have a negative effect on fat and cholesterol metabolism.

Unsaturated fatty acids are widely found in all dietary fats, but most of them are found in vegetable oils. They contain unsaturated double bonds, which determines their significant biological activity and the ability to oxidize. The most common are oleic, linoleic, linolenic and arachidonic fatty acids, among which arachidonic acid has the greatest activity.

Unsaturated fatty acids are not formed in the body and must be introduced daily with food in an amount of 8-10 g. Vegetable oils are the sources of oleic, linoleic and linolenic fatty acids. Arachidonic fatty acid is almost not found in any product and can be synthesized in the body from linoleic acid in the presence of vitamin B 6 (pyridoxine).

Lack of unsaturated fatty acids leads to growth retardation, dryness and inflammation of the skin.

Unsaturated fatty acids are part of the cell membrane system, myelin sheaths and connective tissue. These acids differ from true vitamins in that they do not have the ability to enhance metabolic processes, but the body's need for them is much higher than for true vitamins.

To ensure the physiological needs of the body for unsaturated fatty acids, 15-20 g of vegetable oil must be introduced into the diet every day.

Sunflower, soybean, corn, flaxseed and cottonseed oils have high biological activity of fatty acids, in which the content of unsaturated fatty acids is 50-80%.

The very distribution of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the body testifies to their important role in its vital activity: most of them are found in the liver, brain, heart, and gonads. With insufficient intake of food, their content decreases primarily in these organs. The important biological role of these acids is confirmed by their high content in the human embryo and in the body of newborns, as well as in breast milk.

The tissues have a significant supply of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which allows normal transformations to be carried out for a rather long time in conditions of insufficient intake of fat from food.

Fish oil has the highest content of the most active of the polyunsaturated fatty acids - arachidonic; it is possible that the effectiveness fish oil is explained not only by the vitamins A and D present in it, but also by the high content of this much needed body, especially in childhood, acid.

The most important biological property of polyunsaturated fatty acids is their participation as an obligatory component in the formation of structural elements (cell membranes, myelin sheath of nerve fiber, connective tissue), as well as in such highly biologically active complexes as phosphatides, lipoproteins (protein-lipid complexes), etc.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids have the ability to increase the excretion of cholesterol from the body, converting it into readily soluble compounds. This property is of great importance in the prevention of atherosclerosis. In addition, polyunsaturated fatty acids have a normalizing effect on the walls blood vessels, increasing their elasticity and decreasing permeability. There is evidence that a lack of these acids leads to thrombosis of the coronary vessels, since fats rich in saturated fatty acids increase blood clotting. Therefore, polyunsaturated fatty acids can be considered as a means of preventing coronary heart disease.

According to the biological value and the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, fats can be divided into three groups.

The first includes fats with high biological activity, in which the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids is 50-80%; 15-20 g per day of these fats can satisfy the body's need for such acids. This group includes vegetable oils (sunflower, soybean, corn, hemp, linseed, cottonseed).

The second group includes fats of average biological activity, which contain less than 50% polyunsaturated fatty acids. To satisfy the body's need for these acids, 50-60 g of such fats per day are required. These include lard, goose and chicken fat.

The third group consists of fats containing a minimum amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which is practically unable to satisfy the body's need for them. These are lamb and beef fat, butter and other types of milk fat.

The biological value of fats, in addition to various fatty acids, is also determined by their constituent fat-like substances - phosphatides, sterols, vitamins, etc.

Phosphatides in their structure are very close to neutral fats: more often food contains phosphatide lecithin, somewhat less often - cephalin. Phosphatides are a necessary component of cells and tissues, actively participating in their metabolism, especially in processes associated with the permeability of cell membranes. There are especially many phosphatides in bone fat. These compounds, taking part in fat metabolism, affect the intensity of fat absorption in the intestine and their use in tissues (lipotropic effect of phosphatides). Phosphatides are synthesized in the body, but adequate nutrition and a sufficient intake of protein from food are an indispensable condition for their formation. Sources of phosphatides in the human diet are many foods, especially the yolk chicken eggs, liver, brains, and edible fats, especially unrefined vegetable oils.

Sterols also have high biological activity and are involved in the normalization of fat and cholesterol metabolism. Phytosterols (plant sterols) form insoluble complexes with cholesterol that are not absorbed; thereby preventing an increase in blood cholesterol levels. Especially effective in this regard are ergosterol, which is converted into vitamin D in the body under the action of ultraviolet rays, and steosterol, which helps to normalize blood cholesterol levels. Sources of sterols are various animal products (pork and beef liver, eggs, etc.). Vegetable oils lose most of their sterols during refining.

Fats are among the main nutrients that supply energy to support the body's vital processes and " construction material"to build tissue structures.

Fats have high calorie content, it exceeds the calorific value of proteins and carbohydrates by more than 2 times. The need for fats is determined by the age of a person, his constitution, the nature of work, health, climatic conditions, etc. The physiological rate of fat intake with food for middle-aged people is 100 g per day and depends on the intensity of physical activity. It is recommended that you reduce the amount of dietary fat as you age. The fat requirement can be met by eating a variety of fatty foods.

Among the fats of animal origin with high nutritional quality and biological properties, milk fat is distinguished, which is used mainly in the form of butter. This type of fat contains a large amount of vitamins (A, D2, E) and phosphatides. High digestibility (up to 95%) and good taste qualities make butter a widely consumed product by people of all ages. Animal fats also include lard, beef, lamb, goose fat and others. They contain relatively little cholesterol, a sufficient amount of phosphatides. However, their digestibility is different and depends on the melting point. Refractory fats with a melting point above 37 ° (lard, beef and lamb fat) are less digestible than butter, goose and duck fat, as well as vegetable oils (melting point below 37 °). Vegetable fats are rich in essential fatty acids, vitamin E, phosphatides. They are easy to digest.

The biological value of vegetable fats is largely determined by the nature and degree of their purification (refining), which is carried out to remove harmful impurities. In the process of purification sterols, phosphatides are lost to other biologically active substances... Combined (vegetable and animal) fats include different kinds margarines, culinary, etc. Of the combined fats, margarines are the most widespread. Their digestibility is close to that of butter. They contain many vitamins A, D, phosphatides and other biologically active compounds necessary for normal life.

Changes arising during the storage of edible fats lead to a decrease in their nutritional and gustatory value. Therefore, during long-term storage of fats, they should be protected from light, air oxygen, heat and other factors.

Thus, fats in the human body play an important energetic and plastic role. In addition, they are good solvents of a number of vitamins and sources of biologically active substances. Fat enhances the palatability of food and induces long-term satiety.