Food and drink, Low-calorie products

Foods rich in fat: table

It's time to end the myth of low fat foods, the use of which in the diet was considered the right way to lose weight, prevent heart disease and other chronic diseases. The fact is that the "underwater stone" often hides under the word "skim product", in which the aroma and texture are compensated by increasing the amount of salt, sugar or purified grain. The result "exceeded" all expectations - the worldwide use of low-fat products led only to an increase in the average weight of a person.

Low-calorie food - is it good or bad?

Why should you abandon foods with a very low fat content in the body? Many people do not last such a diet for long, since they consider skim meals devoid of taste and full of restrictions. The fact that fat significantly slows digestion, many diets, built on eating fat-free foods, make a person fight hunger all day long.

Dietary fat plays a decisive role in the exchange - each gram contains 9 kilocalories. This caloric content is safe in those cases when food is not enough, it is very important for people who are not able to absorb a large amount of food.

What are fats?

Fats are our energy reserve. The body can store only a small amount of glucose in the form of glycogen to generate energy, so it is important that there is an adipose tissue capable of producing an unlimited amount of it. The origins of this process are rooted in the distant past, when food was scarce, so much energy was wasted on its extraction. Today this problem is absent, but we continue to absorb foods that are rich in fats, indiscriminately and in large quantities. The energy accumulated through them is now spent only during sleep and during physical activity.

The following are the most popular foods that are rich in fats: (the list assumes a fat content of 100 g):

Palm oil - 93.7 g.
Dried coconut - 57.2 g.
Butter - 51.4 g.
Beef - 52.3 g.
Chocolate - 32.4 g.
Sardine in oil - 29.9 g.
Hard cheese - 24.6 g.

Types of fatty acids and why they are needed

There are two types of fatty acids: linoleic and alpha-linoleic. Fatty acids are important components of cell membranes, they are converted into chemical regulators that affect the clotting of blood, the widening of blood vessels, etc. The lack of them in children is characterized by slow growth, a decrease in immune function, the appearance of a rash. Sometimes this leads to problems with vision and nervous disorders.

For proper development, proteins are also necessary. Without them, the immune system can not properly protect the body from bacteria and viruses. Therefore, it is so important to eat foods rich in fats and proteins.

Do saturated fats cause heart disease?

Excessive consumption of the majority of saturated fatty acids is fraught with an increase in the level of LDL (low-density lipoproteins), which increases cholesterol and reduces insulin sensitivity. Rich foods protein, fats, carbohydrates reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes and obesity. Rich in fiber protect against colon cancer, they are necessary for the prevention of hemorrhoids. In addition, the fibers are food for normal (healthy) bacteria that are in the intestine and provide nutrient saturation. The fibers are contained in beans, whole beans and grains.

Rich foods with protein, fats, carbohydrates Are necessary for normal functioning in fairly large quantities. Nutritionists recommend limiting the intake of saturated fatty acids to 10% of total caloric intake (18 grams for those who absorb 1600 kilocalories per day). The acceptable range of macro-distribution for carbohydrates is 45-65%. If, for example, you ate 1600 kilocalories per day, the acceptable intake of carbohydrates is from 180 grams to 260.

Avoid "bad fats"

Have you noticed how a pizza with tomato sauce, cheese and meat freezes after cooling? The hardness of the ingredients is a hint at a high saturated fat content, which solidifies even at room temperature. Milk fat, tropical oils (coconut, palm), which are part of almost any ice cream, also largely contain saturated fats. The most popular products among young people, in which saturated fats predominate: pizza and desserts, while boiled meat is a source of protein.

Like carbohydrates, proteins are important macronutrients. Clean white teeth - an indicator that a person consumes foods rich in fats and proteins. The protein provides a synthesis of collagen, which is so important for the structure of bones, teeth and skin.

Transition from saturated fats to unsaturated fats. Are there any health benefits?

The advantage of reducing the intake of saturated fats depends on many factors, including those from which you replace them. Replacement with low-fat pretzels and chewy candies may seem tempting, but initially it is an incorrect strategy, since diets with a high content of highly refined carbohydrates tend to increase triglyceride levels and reduce HDL (high-density lipoprotein) levels, increase cholesterol levels, which are prerequisites Cardiovascular diseases.

The best strategy involves replacing foods that are rich in unhealthy saturated fats, foods that are rich in fats useful. A sandwich with bacon will bring more benefits to the body than a slice of pizza, and replacing bacon with a piece of cheese or avocado is another sensible step towards a healthy diet. If you eat an excessive amount of calories per day, you can switch from eating whole milk to a product with a lower fat content.

Saturated fats are found in nature in many foods. Most of them are found mainly in food of animal origin. Look at foods rich in fats (the list is presented below). It:

- fat beef;

- the lamb;

- pork;

- birds with skin;

- Beef fat;

- fat and cream;

- Butter;

- cheese and other dairy products made from whole milk.

It is impossible to improve health on harmful fats

Producers of products, in addition to saturated, use trans fats that undergo the process of hydrogenation and are used, as a rule, to increase the shelf life of processed foods, such as crackers, chips or biscuits.

Their recommended intake is not more than 1% of the total number of calories (less than 2 grams if you consume 1600 calories per day). If you pay attention to what foods are rich in fats, you can identify traces of trans fats, reading lists of ingredients on the labels of foods: these substances are masked under the names: "hardened oil" or "hydrogenated".

Delicious and nutritious foods with a high content of essential macronutrients

Eat foods rich in fats and carbohydrates, such as milk, fruits and vegetables. Carbohydrates are the main source of energy in the body, providing fuel for cells, including brain cells. Simple and complex carbohydrates contain 4 calories per gram. 45-65% of the total number of calories should be carbohydrates, while 20-35% - fat. Almost all products, except eggs, meat and some seafood, are saturated with carbohydrates. Vegetables, especially potatoes, corn, sweet potatoes and peas, contain a large number of good starchy carbohydrates, as well as fibers. All plant products, including fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes and nuts, are high in fiber, which improves bowel function.

As already mentioned, unsaturated fatty acids improve blood cholesterol and insulin sensitivity if they replace saturated and trans fats. There are two classes of unsaturated fatty acids: monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. Monounsaturated are found in avocados, nuts, seeds, olives, peanuts, olive oil.

Since recently, fatty acids of polyunsaturated fat of omega-3 are in the center of attention because of their role in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. They can be found in walnuts, flaxseed, tofu, soybeans, rapeseed. In addition, two other types of fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenic (DHA)) are important not only for the heart, but for visual acuity, for the proper development of the brain in the fetus during pregnancy; They perform an important function to slow cognitive impairment in the elderly; Reduce the symptoms of arthritis, ulcerative colitis and other inflammatory diseases. These acids contain such types of fish as tuna, herring, trout, mackerel, salmon, sardine, tuna.

Omega-6 is the second type of polyunsaturated fat. Foods rich in fats such as omega-6: sunflower seeds, Brazil nuts, pecans and pine nuts. Some cooking oils are also sources of omega-6: corn, sunflower and sesame oil.