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Dietary fat is the fat that comes from food. The body breaks down dietary fats into parts called fatty acids that can enter the bloodstream. The body also can make fatty acids from the carbohydrates in food. The body uses fatty acids to make the fats that it needs. Fats are important for how your body uses many vitamins.
The argument: Coconut oil is extremely high in saturated fat — about 50 percent more than butter, even. But despite that saturated fat is known to raise cholesterol levels, linked with heart disease risk, proponents believe that some saturated fats in coconut oil (called medium-chain triglycerides) are less harmful and may actually raise levels of beneficial HDL cholesterol.
Use unsaturated fats from plants. Replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats may help lower the risk of heart disease. For example, you could replace butter with olive, canola, or safflower or sunflower oil in cooking or at the table. And instead of putting butter or margarine on bread, you could use nut or seed spreads on toast or on an apple.
Margarine often tops butter when it comes to heart health. Margarine is a blend of oils that are mostly unsaturated fat. Butter is made from cream or milk. The type of fat found in animal products, such as cream, is mostly saturated fat. Replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat may lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.
The Nutrition Facts label on packaged foods lists the amount of saturated fat for one serving. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends cutting back on saturated fats by replacing them with unsaturated fats. For example, you can cut 5 grams of saturated fat by replacing 1 tablespoon of butter with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Monounsaturated fat — found in olive, peanut and canola oils — is a healthier option than is saturated fat. Nuts, fish and other foods containing unsaturated omega-3 fatty acids are other good choices of foods with healthy fats.
Try using olive oil in place of other fats in your diet. You can saute vegetables in olive oil, add it to a marinade or mix it with vinegar as a salad dressing. You can also use olive oil as a substitute for butter when basting meat or as a dip for bread. Extra virgin olive oil also reduces the risk of heart attacks.
When you use fats, choose unsaturated ones. There are two main types. Monounsaturated fats are found in products such as olive oil or canola oil. Polyunsaturated fats are found in certain fish and in avocados, nuts and seeds. When used in place of saturated fats, unsaturated fats may help lower your total blood cholesterol.
Walnut oil is the highest in omega-3s. Consider using nut oils in homemade salad dressing or in cooking. When cooking with nut oils, remember that they respond differently to heat than do vegetable oils. Nut oils can become bitter if overheated. Use nut oils in moderation, as they are high in fat and calories.
Omega-6 fatty acids are a type of fat called polyunsaturated fat. Omega-6 fatty acids are in vegetable oils, nuts and seeds. They're good to eat in small amounts in place of the fats that are solid at room temperature, call saturated fats. Omega-6 fatty acids can be good for the heart and seem to protect against heart disease.