Is one throw in of fat healthier than another?
Which foods are high in saturated fat, and which are high in unsaturated fat?
EatingWell answers your top questions.
High-fat dairy products and fatty meats have a lot of saturated fat.Sian Irvine/Getty Images
It’s hard to believe there was a time when everyone thought all fat was bad.
No surprise, times have changed.
It’s now well-known that eliminating fat is not the healthiest route.
However, some fats should play a more prominent role in the diet.
We will give you a primer on each and teach you which ones to focus on.
So, that leaves us with saturated fats and unsaturated fats.
Here’s the scoop on those two.
What Are Saturated Fats?
All fats are built of carbons and hydrogens.
Saturated fats are chains of carbon atoms with as many hydrogen atoms on that chain as possible.
The carbons are, literally, saturated with hydrogen atoms.
Because those carbon chains are so full with hydrogen atoms, the chains are stiffer, less flexible.
What Foods Are They In?
What Are Unsaturated Fats?
Unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature (not solid like saturated varieties).
Here’s where the science gets cool.
If the carbon chain has one double bond, it’s amonounsaturated fat.
There are two essential types of polyunsaturated fats: omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids.
Both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats have heart-health benefits, though polys seem to have a slight edge over monos.
Which Fats Are HealthierSaturated or Unsaturated Fats?
The debate may not be settled soon, which means there is no final verdict from the experts.
As with most nutrition advice, though, moderation reigns supreme.
