THE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF FATS

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Fats are macronutrients needed by the body both for structural functions and metabolism. They are necessary for healthy functioning of the human body. However like most products, they have some undesired effects especially when consumed in unnecessarily large quantities or when the unhealthy types are used.

With the revolution of fitness and the awareness of healthy eating habits and lifestyles, fats have been placed under a microscope leading to most food processing companies having to state the type of fat in their products together with the quantities. There exists many debates on what is more beneficial and what works when it comes to cutting fats out of the diet or just changing the type of fats to use.

Evidence now available shows that there exist bad and good fats. The good kinds are usually the unsaturated types, whether monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. The bad kinds are the saturated and the Trans types. Most of the good fat can be found in organic products such as avocado, sunflower, soy, nuts and olives.

Saturated fats and Trans fats are known for their notorious adverse effects on the cardiovascular system. They are broken into low density lipoproteins, the bad cholesterol, which sticks on walls of blood vessels. As a result of this continuous plaque formation, the vessels become hardened and their ability to be pulsatile and conduct blood through is impaired. There is also narrowing of the arteries in the heart, which if complete, leads to heart attacks.

They occur naturally in dairy and animal products such as beef. They are also found in processed food stuffs like chips, crisps, pies, pastries, cakes, cheese and butter. Some plants, surprisingly,  also contain saturated fats such as coconut oil.

Despite their many advantages, their use is also associated with adverse effects hence moderation in their consumption.