It seems like every food manufacturing company is jumping on the band wagon with the “no trans fats” labeling. Sounds healthy, right? The truth is that these labels can be misleading to the general consumer who does not know what this means. Trans fats are the bad fats which are man made in which chemical bonds of a vegetable oil, normally liquid at room temperature are changed so it becomes solid at room temperature and more shelf stable. The fats become chemical bonds which become twisted hence the name “trans.”

The reason they are so bad is because trans fats have been proven to significantly raise levels of harmful LDL cholesterol, clogging arteries with fatty plaques. They are much more dangerous than saturated fats which are found in products such as butter and cream cheese. Nutritional labels often have a low number like 2, 3 or 4 next to the trans fat content section so we often think that’s a good thing. How would we know how unhealthy that is! Recent surveys have shown that there has been essentially no education on this subject.

American Heart Association advises that anything over 2 grams per day is unhealthy and 0 grams is the preferred number. Dining out or taking out makes watching these numbers rather difficult, after all who wants to ruin the experience by researching every the nutritional content of every meal. As a result, some major cities like New York and Philadelphia have already or soon will put a ban on trans fats in restaurants.

To avoid consuming these harmful fats obviously it’s a good idea to check labels when grocery shopping. Try to avoid processed foods like snacks or baked goods like cookies, prepackaged donuts, or muffins. Just because a label says little or no trans fats does not mean it’s healthy, you must look at the overall ingredients. Hopefully, moving forward there will be more straight forward talk and information on this subject. We will just have to make due for now, but remember - knowledge is power!

Lyla Feldman writes about health and fitness. Some of her favorite passions include writing about energy drinks and natural sleep aids.

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Do low fat foods make you fat? At first glance this seems like a pretty silly comment to make. Right? Don’t believe the hype. Food manufacturers along with doctors and some other ill-informed health and fitness professionals would like you to believe otherwise, that everything low fat will help you lose your belly fat.

But I have had enough of those lies. It is time for the truth about low fat foods to be told. Especially if you are ever to achieve your optimal fat loss goals. Let us look at some interesting information that might help you switch sides and join me on the anti low fat crusade. Low fat foods are usually filled with artificial sweeteners and flavours to give it some taste after all the fat has been taken out. They can also be filled with excess sugar and sodium (salt).

The problem with these products, apart from the fact they are not a natural food source, is they have been shown to stimulate your appetite. If the foods you are eating contain artificial sweeteners, like you will find in diet soft drinks and sugar replacements for your coffee, your bodies ability to detect fullness is compromised. This means your brain will not be able to receive the message from the stomach that it is full.

So, if your body doesn’t know when to stop eating, you will continue to overeat even though you may not actually be hungry. Why does this happen? The processed nature of low fat foods mess with your bodies’ natural chemistry. It would be like watching a little kid have a reaction to red cordial. They just go wild. That is what your body is doing inside.

Have you ever had the feeling that you have overeaten a little while after eating any of these types of foods? You may not feel full at the time, but a little later you feel like you have been hit by a bus and are very sluggish. This is a perfect example of your stomach not getting the message your brain was trying to send it.

My prediction is there will be a backlash in the coming years against the low fat foods and diets that are being promoted through virtually every medium known to man. If low fat foods and other processed foods that are marketed to us as being healthy are so good for us, why is the rate of obesity in society on the rise? Are you still with me? Great! now what is the solution to avoiding the ever constant low fat food craze that seems to be everywhere? Simple. Eat foods that are as true to their natural form as possible.

That means we should be eating foods as nature intended us too. Perfect examples include fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, and grass fed animal meat if you are a meat eater. The fats that we should be avoiding are Trans Fats. These are the dangerous fats that are contributing to the obesity epidemic. More and more people will realise that we have been wrong for all of these years and will work on new ways to tackle the obesity problem, and at the forefront of that will be people starting to shy away from low fat foods.

I know that I, for one, will be leading the cause from the frontline. I hope to see you there!

Would you like to learn more about the food myths that have been forced down your throat for the best part of your life? Find out how you can blast your way to a new body once you get on top of these myths in the Aussie Fatblast Secrets Revealed FREE audio and eBook report. I will explode 5 common fat loss myths right before your eyes and ears. Simply visit http://www.aussiefatblast.com to download today

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A lot of people shiver at the mere mention of fat, especially if they are trying to lose weight. It seems that this word has been associated with disease, unhappiness, and despair. Many feel that avoiding all types of fat for the rest of their lives will ensure them a happy and healthy future.

The idea that fat is absolutely bad is actually influenced, in part, by what we read on newspapers and magazines and even what we see on television. In fact, fat has suddenly gotten a bad reputation after the popularity of diet crazes and weight-loss fanaticism. Although having a lot of excess fat in your body is really bad, this often misunderstood substance is also important in making you and me healthy.

If you are one of the people who absolutely abhor fat, in whatever type and form, then you should read about the types of fat below.

Monounsaturated

The first thing you need to do before you buy food is to look at its label. If you see that the item contains monounsaturated fat, then it is ok to buy and consume it. You see this type of fat is safe if taken in moderation. The most popular source of this type of fat is olive oil.

Studies have shown that monounsaturated fat lowers the levels of your LDL or bad cholesterol. Thus, your risk for having stroke and heart diseases are greatly minimized. You need to make sure that the sources of fat you consume are mostly vegetables, such as olives. In fact, people, particularly women, who use vegetable-based fat, have 30% lower risk of getting heart ailments than those who consume the unhealthy type of fat.

According to nutrition experts, fat should represent 20% to 35% of one’s daily diet. However, you have to make sure that you stick to the variety that is healthy such as monounsaturated fat.

Polyunsaturated

Another healthy type of fat is the polyunsaturated fat. Just like monounsaturated, this fat helps in lowering a person’s bad cholesterol levels. Another benefit of polyunsaturated fat is that it has essential fatty acid components. This is a good source of Omega 3 and 6, which cannot be manufactured by your body, but are vital in the performance of your bodily functions.

The best sources of polyunsaturated fats include corn, safflower, soybean oils as well as nuts. Fatty fishes, such as trout, salmon, herring and mackerel are also good sources of polyunsaturated fat.

Saturated And Trans Fat

Trans and saturated fat are the types of fat that you should avoid as if they are a plague. Although it is impossible to totally eradicate them in your daily diet, especially if you love to eat meat and cheese, you can choose to minimize their consumption. Both saturated and trans fat are harmful to you because they promote the increase of LDL levels in your system. If you have high bad cholesterol levels, you can be sure that you will find yourself at high risk of developing chronic diseases and conditions, such as stroke and heart problems.

Trans fat can typically be found in processed and baked goods. Trans fat can also be found in red meat. According to the American Heart Association, a person should make sure that trans fat comprises only one percent of their total daily food intake. Saturated fat, on the other hand, could be found in cheese, ice cream, whole milk and beef.

If you have been eating foods that are rich in trans and saturated fat, you need to start to make some changes in your diet immediately to prevent you from developing heart-related diseases. One way of getting rid of the toxins from saturated and trans fat is by eating plenty of vegetables and food that lower your levels of bad cholesterol. You may also want to undergo detoxification to eliminate all the toxins inside your body. A product you can use to help you detoxify is Colopril.

Visit http://www.colopril.com for more details.

Janet Martin is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premiere online news magazine http://www.thearticleinsiders.com

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We have all been hearing a lot lately about our Omega-3 fatty acid to Omega-6 ratios and how the typical western diet has “flipped” the ratio backwards. Basically, we eat too many omega-6, not enough omega-3 and too much saturated and trans fat. Omega-3 fatty acids are sorely lacking in the typical western diet having been replaced by oils with a high proportion of omega-6 oils such as corn oil.

So what does all this mean?

The fats in foods are a combination of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Omega-3 and 6 fats are polyunsaturated. All oils and fats contain combination of the above. But, some fats have a higher proportion of saturates (butter) or monounsaturates (olive oil) or polyunsaturates (nut oils, corn oil, etc.).

Trans fats are produced when an oil is “hydrogenated”. More simply, the oils are processed to make them more stable and less likely to go rancid quickly. Trans fats are used in most processed foods and are not good for the body. Vegetable shortening is hydrogenated oil - lots of trans fats!

With the exception of trans fats, the body requires all of the above fatty acids in different combinations. Yes - even saturated fats. These fatty acids are used to help the body absorb vitamins such as Vitamin A as well as a host of processes like cellular metabolism and the manufacture of hormone like substances. Alpha-linolenic acid is one of two fatty acids traditionally classified as “essential.” The other fatty acid traditionally known as “essential” is an omega 6 fat called linoleic acid. “Essential” means that the body is unable to manufacture them on its own and must come from the diet.

The body converts alpha-linolenic acid into two important omega 3 fats, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA). EPA plays a role in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, while DHA is the necessary for proper brain and nerve development.

Omega 3 fats also play a role in the production of hormone-like substances called prostaglandins. Prostaglandins help regulate many functions like blood pressure, blood clotting, nerve transmission, inflammation, allergic responses, kidney function, gastrointestinal function and the production of other hormones.

Depending on the type of fat in the diet, certain types of prostaglandins may be produced in large quantities, while others may not be produced at all. This can lead to an imbalance in the body and ….disease.

From omega-3 fats are manufactured series 3 prostaglandins, which act to reduce platelet aggregation, reduce inflammation and improve blood flow. From omega 6 fats are manufactured series 1 and series 2 prostaglandins. Like series 3 prostaglandins, series 1 prostaglandins are beneficial. On the other hand, series 2 prostaglandins promote inflammation and increase platelet aggregation.

This is why it is important to balance the amounts of omega 3 and omega 6 fats in the diet- aiming for a higher proportion of omega-3 fats.

Polyunsaturated oils are extremely susceptible to damage from heat, light, and oxygen. When exposed to these elements for too long, the fatty acids in the oil become oxidized. The oil becomes rancid which means it tastes and smells different. Oxidation also means free radicals. Free radicals are not a good thing - contributing to the development of degenerative diseases and cancer. Hence, polyunsaturated oils should be stored in dark glass, tightly closed containers in a cool place. Also, cooking with oils high in polyunsaturates produces free radicals. A better choice for cooking are oils rich in monounsaturates (such as olive oil) which do not change in composition as much when heated. Saturated fats (like butter) also do not oxidize much when cooking, but only should be used in limited amounts.

If you want to increase your omega-3 intake, the foods providing the best omega-3 profiles are flaxseeds, walnuts and salmon. There are many other foods rich in omega-3 fats as well as the oils derived from these foods. A simple web search for “foods rich in omega-3 fats” will give you all kinds of information on this topic.

To your health!

Copyright (c) 2008 Ainsley Laing

About the Author:
Ainsley Laing, MSc. has been a Fitness Trainer for 27 years and writes exclusively Body for Mind eZine. She holds certifications in Group Exercise, Sports Nutrition and Personal Fitness Training. She is also a professional engineer and mom. To see more articles by Ainsley visit http://www.bodyformind.com or the blog at http://www.bodyformind.blogspot.com

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