Define some Essential facts about the Fats?
1) Fats are essential in diets to facilitate satiety, high-energy intakes, and absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and provide essential fatty acids.
2) Anti oxidant requirements increase with PUFA rich oil.
3) Vegetable oils contain no cholesterol.
4) Green leafy vegetables, some spices and cereal pulse diet can provide linolenic acid.
5) Vegetable oils contain as many calories as animal fats.
6) Oils are rich source of PUFA and only 3 tsp/day are needed in an adult diet.
7) Triglycerides are the main form of fat found in diet. Diets, which provide excess calories, fat and cholesterol elevate blood lipids.
8) Excess fat in diet increases the risk of obesity, heart diseases and cancer.
9) Serum cholesterol measurements are important even before 40 years of age. The ill effects of dietary fat are initiated early in life. Lipid levels should be assessed to screen children for risk anyway.
10) Fresh vegetables and fruits are fat-free and contain phytochernicals, which are cardio-protective.
11) Cholesterol is formed in foods of only animal origin. Animal foods also have high amount of invisible fats, rich in saturated fatty acids.
12) Fish is an excellent source of long chain n-3 fatty acids, which are cardio- protective.
13) Deep fried snacks eaten in quick service restaurant are likely to be rich in trans- fatty acids, which increase blood cholesterol.
14) Fat present in whole milk, soyabean, peanuts and flesh foods is called invisible fat and contribute to total fat intake substantially.
15) Exercise can improve lipid transport agents in blood. It keeps body fat low. (Read about body fat in inset)