Meet most of your fat requirements from nuts, fish and vegetable oils.
Limit solid fats. Use a mixture of oils rather than one oil Or eat foods cooked in different oils. But beware, oils are calorie dense and their intake should be limited in quantity.
Remember no oil is "zero" cholesterol. The caloric content, all cooking oils, butter and fats is the same. i.e 9 kcal/gm.
Fat and oils
Body needs fat to function properly. This is provided from three sources: invisible fat in food that we eat, like pulses, grains etc; visible fat which is used to cook the food or put in the food; and fat which is made endogenously in the body.
Dietary sources of fats are of two kinds: Invisible fats (fat present as an integral part of food item) and visible fat (fat which is added). Dietary fats and oils are combination of glycerol with fatty acids. The major kinds of fatty acids in food are Saturated, Monounsaturated, Polyunsaturated and Trans Fatty Acids . It contains the same amount of calories - about 120 calories per tablespoon. Visible dietary fats carry fat-soluble vitamins - vitamins A, D, E and K - from your food into your body.
Different Types of Fatty Acids
Saturated fatty Acids
Saturated fats (SFA) are usually solid at room temperature. Since our body manufactures its own saturated fat we don't need to include any in our diet. It is found mainly in animal foods and dairy products (exceptions :palm oil, coconut oil). Saturated fats increases total cholesterol, LDL-C (bad), & triglycerides.
Monounsaturated fatty acids
Monounsaturated fat (MUFA) is found in animal products & vegetables. Monounsaturated fat is believed to lower total cholesterol with no change or slight increase in HDL-C. It is cardio-protective, lowers blood glucose and triglycerides in type II diabetes. It may also offers protection against certain cancers, like breast cancer and colon cancer. The major fatty acid composition of MUFA is oleic acid.
Oils high in monounsaturated are best for cooking (frying). For example, groundnut, mustard, canola, rapeseed, olive oil. They have high oxidation thresholds: meaning, they remain stable at higher temperatures and are not easily transformed into hydrogenated or saturated fats. Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) are liquid at room temperature but start to solidify on refrigeration.
