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Fats and Fibers

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Fats and Fibers
Ewanshia J. Graham
SCI/241 - Nutrition
September 13, 2012
Derrick King

Fats and Fibers
According to the American Heart Association (2010) there are a number of fats that are consumed by humans on a daily basis; some fats are beneficial for us while others are not. The four major dietary fats, that we normally consume, have varying chemical structures and differ in their effects on the body. Saturated and transfer fats are considered harmful and have the potential to cause high levels of cholesterol and heart disease. On the opposite end, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, in moderation, are good for the body and provide needed energy for vital bodily functions. The composition of each type of fat contributes to its’ influence on the body. For instance, saturated fats are named due to the presence of hydrogen atoms that completely cover the molecule. These hydrogen atoms cause saturated fat to solidify at room temperature and are contained in foods such as cheese, butter, cream, chocolate, coconut oil, and cottonseed oil. These fats tend to be larger and harder for the body to breakdown. Unsaturated fats contain at least one double bond within the fatty acid chain with the formal name depending on how many double bonds are present; trans fats are included under the label of unsaturated fats as well. Trans-fatty acids are harmful because they can raise your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels while lowering your high-density lipoprotein (HLD) levels. Hydrogenated fats are vegetable fats that have been processed and forced to accept hydrogen atoms so that they ‘behave’ like saturated fat. Though hydrogenated fats may appear to be ‘healthier’ than saturated fats numerous studies have found that young people with diets of moderate to high saturated fat have developed fatty deposits of plaque within their arteries at a level

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