Understanding Fats and Fiber
Michael Matt
University of Phoenix

Most people associate the word “fat” with just the downsides of the bad fats found in our food. We have to remember that there are good fats out there that are essential to a healthy diet also. Lets talk about the bad fats first. Bad fats are categorized as saturated and trans fats. We find Saturated fats mostly in dairy products, tropical oils, and of course meats. Saturated fat can raise both the body’s bad cholesterol and good cholesterol. Trans-fat on the other hand only raises your body’s bad cholesterol. Now lets get to the better fats, which would be monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Monounsaturated is a great example of a good fat, as it will lower your body’s bad cholesterol. Polyunsaturated fats will lower both your body’s good and bad cholesterol. The best source of fat would be in the omega-3s group. Omega-3 fat has proven to protect people from sudden cardiac arrest resulting in death. Fiber works closely with your cholesterol and plays an important roll in regular bowel movements. Fiber will absorb cholesterol, which slows glucose absorption. The body does not process dietary fibers for energy instead they provide filler in feces to avoid constipation and satiety without adding additional calories. Fiber can be used to treat diarrhea in most cases as well as soluble fiber will absorb water in the digestive tract.
Lipids are a group of molecules that consist of fats, fatty acids and cholesterol. The most prominent and important functions of lipids are to store energy for the body's consumption. Carbohydrates and protein can provide energy but it is significantly less than provided by lipids. Whole grains, fruits and vegetables have fiber in them, and are a healthy part of your diet. Fiber assists in overall digestion health and helps strengthen the body’s