Eating foods that
contain saturated fats can raise the LDL ("bad") cholesterol in your blood.
Having a high level of LDL cholesterol increases your chance of clogged
arteries (atherosclerosis), which can lead to
coronary artery disease and
heart attack.
Trans fats also are
unhealthy. Try as much as possible to avoid eating them.
Trans fat raises the level of "bad" LDL cholesterol in your
blood and lowers the "good" HDL cholesterol in your blood.
HDL cholesterol is important. It helps clear the bad
cholesterol from your blood so it does not clog your arteries. A high level of
HDL can lower your risk of having a heart attack.
Remember, your
body needs some fat to be healthy. Use the example below as a guide for eating
less saturated fat.
In general:
- No more than 10% of your daily calories should
come from saturated fat. This is about 20 grams of fat in a 2,000-calorie
diet.
- No more than 10% of your daily calories should come from
polyunsaturated fat. This is about 20 grams in a 2,000-calorie
diet.
- Monounsaturated fats can be up to 15% of your daily calories.
This is about 25 to 30 grams in a 2,000-calorie diet.
If you're not sure how much fat you should be eating or how
many calories you need each day to stay at a healthy weight, talk to a
registered dietitian. He or she can help you create a
plan that's right for you.
As I try to eat less unhealthy fat, I especially need
to avoid trans fats.
This answer is
correct.
Avoid trans fats as much as possible, because
they raise your bad cholesterol. They also lower the good cholesterol in your
blood. Trans fat is in many processed foods made with shortening or with
partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated vegetable oils. These foods include
cookies, crackers, chips, and many snack foods. (Look for trans fat on the
nutrition facts label on packaged foods.) Restaurants often use hydrogenated
oils for frying foods, so try to limit fried foods when you eat out.
This answer is
incorrect.
Avoid trans fats as much as possible, because
they raise your bad cholesterol. They also lower the good cholesterol in your
blood. Trans fat is in many processed foods made with shortening or with
partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated vegetable oils. These foods include
cookies, crackers, chips, and many snack foods. (Look for trans fat on the
nutrition facts label on packaged foods.) Restaurants often use hydrogenated
oils for frying foods, so try to limit fried foods when you eat out.