Fat is an essential part of our diet and nutrition

by Ms H 

·       Fat is a concentrated source of energy –

·       Fat enables our bodies to process vitamins A, D, E and K

·       Like amino acids in protein, fat contains essential fatty acids (EFA’s). 

·        Fat provides a cushion to help protect our vital organs and provides heat insulation.

·       Some fatty acids – like omega 3 – may provide other health benefits such as flattering the reasoning processes of the brain.

The unsaturated fats, coming from vegetable sources, are better than saturated fats, coming from animal sources.  Due to their shape saturated fat molecules clump together easily; unsaturated fat molecules cannot clump together so easily.  Saturated fat is therefore more likely to stick to the sides of arteries and allow other saturated fat molecules to build up.

Hydrogenated fat is vegetable fat, (margarine). Hydrogenated unsaturated fat or trans-fat increases the risk of coronary heart disease by raising levels of LDL cholesterol and lowering levels of "good" HDL cholesterol in the blood.  This is the most important fat to avoid.

If you are overweight then you should attempt to reduce your total fat intake – try to replace fatty foods with fresh fruit, nuts and vegetables.  Increase your consumption of oily fish; salmon, trout, tuna, mackerel, nuts and seeds – omega 3 fats are known to provide many health benefits.

The extra virgin olive oil is good for salad dressings, and for frying and cooking the coconut oil is the best.

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The Anti-Inflammatory Diet - Steps to Start Eating Healthier Today

By Jason L Cadwell  

  

1

There are many ways to stop the effect your diet has on inflammation. The easiest is adopting an anti-inflammation diet. Here are the three beginning steps to starting the diet off right.

Fruits, Vegetables and Seafood are good.

Vegetables that offer a deep color are often better for your health. These deep colors often mean higher fiber content and better anti-inflammatory effects on the body. Herbs are also fantastic additions to an anti-inflammation diet. Here is a list of foods and herbs that will best help you to gain control over your inflammation.

Turmeric
Oregano
Garlic
Green Tea
Blueberries
Ginger
Wild Seafood
Spinach
Collard Greens
Kale

When choosing seafood, the smaller the fish the better. Mercury is present in all fish and this is a compounding element. Eating the smaller fish like sardines, means eating from the lower end of the food chain with less mercury. The idea is to boost healthy foods and eliminate unhealthy foods so for every good food you choose as part of your anti-inflammation diet, try taking out a processed food or fatty meat.

Increase Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)

There is talk all over the Internet and in print about the power of EFAs. These fatty acids are present in nearly every food we eat, but the ratio of the different fatty acids is important as well as general consumption. Most people consume far more Omega 6s than Omega 3s and that can reduce the healthiness of even the best anti-inflammation diet.

Foods rich in Omega 3s include fish oil, olive oil, avocado, walnuts and grapeseed oil. An Omega 3 supplement can also be taken to boost this EFA in the diet. While flaxseed oil is the best source of Omega 3s, a fish oil supplement can also be chosen. It is important to make sure the fish oil is mercury free and tested for heavy metals.

Nuts and seeds are also perfect sources of EFAs. There is nothing hard about adding a handful of nuts or seeds to a salad or as a snack every day. For people with nut allergies, soy provides a healthy alternative. Soy is also a good source of lean protein which also has an anti-inflammation effect.

You may also hear about Omega 9 fatty acids. These are naturally occurring in the body, but that does not mean the amounts of this EFA when compared to Omega 3 and Omega 6 should not be taken into consideration. The effect of EFAs is heavily dependent on balance.

Final Step - Take Out the Harmful Foods

So far, stepping into an anti-inflammation diet has been really easy. During the elimination phase, however, some people have trouble giving up the foods they have grown to love the most. When listing the foods that need to be eliminated for their inflammatory effect on the body in order of importance, the list would include:

Trans Fats
Sugar
Refined Carbohydrates
Potential Food Allergens

Trans fats are present in hydrogenated oils like margarine. Despite many labels ready "0 trans fats"; they are still in those products in small amounts. Sugar is just not good for the body. Replacing processed sugar with natural cane may be a healthier alternative. Refined carbohydrates include processed flour which is used in nearly every loaf of bread and baked goods sold in a package. Try baking for yourself with whole grain flour instead.

Food allergens often include gluten, soy, eggs, dairy and nuts. These foods will increase inflammation in the body immediately if there is a food allergy. Medical food allergy testing can provide a specific list of food that will cause a reaction in the body. If you want to find out which foods you are allergic to on your own, keep a journal and eliminate the foods one by one for a few days. Then, eat the food in question to see if there is a change or reaction. Mild food allergies often affect gastrointestinal systems with constipation or diarrhea. Rashes and hives, both inflammatory responses, may also appear.

For more information and FREE Videos go to http://www.prosathomenetwork.com Jason Cadwell is a very successful entrepreneur specializing in online marketing & Real Estate.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Jason_L_Cadwell/443014

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Anti-Inflammatory-Diet---Steps-to-Start-Eating-Healthier-Today&id=3567962 

The Mediterranian Diet - How Does It Work?   

by Dean Iggo

The Mediterranian Diet was developed because researchers noticed that people who live in the Mediterranean region live longer and have fewer heart attacks than people in other developed countries, even though they eat more fatty foods. We're talking people who eat French, Italian and Greek food. We're talking delicious food that is way more appealing than grilled chicken breasts and dry salads. And wine. They drink wine with their meals. The researchers all decided they wanted some o' dat, and tried to figure out why the Mediterranian Diet is so good for you.

What's Different About the Mediterranian Diet?

Well, for one thing, flavor. Mediterranian diet recipes are good. Eating is enjoyable, which is part of what's right about the Mediterranian diet. In the Mediterranean area, eating is social and enjoyable. People linger over a good meal with good company for hours, laughing and enjoying the food and wine.

The Mediterranian Diet is high in fiber. It is a carbohydrate-rich diet...we're talking the right carbohydrates. We're not talking about donuts and birthday cake. We're talking about whole grain breads, pastas, rice and other complex carbohydrates. Dishes like hummus and couscous and pasta primavera.

The Mediterranian Diet is surprisingly high in fat. Again, though, we're talking about the right fats. Monosaturated fat like olive oil and foods rich in omega-3 fats like fish. Mediterraneans eat very little saturated or trans fat. No shortening, margarine or lard. Not much red meat, either.

The Mediterranian Diet allows wine, especially red wine. It's been discovered (by those researchers) that red wine contains flavonoids and other phytonutrients that protect your arteries and blood vessels.

The Mediterranean Diet Food Pyramid

The Mediterranean Diet Food Pyramid is a bit different than the USDA food pyramid because it contains more carbohydrates and more fat. Here are the Mediterranean Diet recommendations:

- Eat lots of complex carbohydrates--breads, pasta, whole grain foods.
- Eat several servings of fruits and vegetables every day. A serving or two of legumes or nuts every day is okay, too.
- Use olive oil and other monosaturated oils (peanut or canola oil) every day.
- Low fat dairy products, like cheese and yoghurt can be eaten every day.
- Eat lots of fish. Most of your "meat" meals should have fish. You can eat fish several times a week.
- Eat smaller amounts of poultry and eggs, but you can still have them several times a week.
- You may have small amounts of sweets a few times a week.
- Eat only very small amounts of red meat, only a few times a month.
- Drink at least six glasses of water a day.
- Drink a little red wine. Most people recommend keeping it to a glass or two a day. You can drink grape juice, if you prefer.

http://goarticles.com/article/The-Mediterranian-Diet-How-Does-It-Work/522702/