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In the modern world, life rushes by at an accelerated pace. Often there is not enough time even for sleep. Fast food, saturated with fat, which is commonly called fast food, has almost completely won a place in the kitchen.
But thanks to the abundance of information about a healthy lifestyle, more and more people are drawn to a healthy lifestyle. That being said, saturated fat is considered by many to be the main source of all problems.
Let’s figure out how justified the popular belief about the dangers of saturated fat is. In other words, is it worth eating foods rich in saturated fat at all?
Products with the highest EFA content:
Indicated approximate quantity in 100 g of product
General characteristics of saturated fatty acids
From a chemical point of view, saturated fatty acids (SFA) are substances with single bonds of carbon atoms. These are the most concentrated fats.
EFAs can be of natural or artificial origin. Artificial fats include margarine, natural fats – butter, lard, etc.
EFAs are found in meat, dairy and some plant foods.
A special feature of such fats is that they do not lose their solid form at room temperature. Saturated fats fill the human body with energy and actively participate in the process of cell structure.
Saturated fatty acids are butyric, caprylic, nylon, and acetic acid. And also stearic, palmitic, capric acid and some others.
EFAs tend to be deposited in the body “in reserve” in the form of fatty deposits. Under the influence of hormones (adrenaline and norepinephrine, glucagon, etc.), EFAs are released into the bloodstream, releasing energy for the body.
Helpful advice:
To identify foods with a higher saturated fat content, simply compare their melting points. The leader will have a higher content of EFAs.
Daily Saturated Fatty Acid Requirements
The requirement for saturated fatty acids is 5% of the total daily human diet. It is recommended to consume 1-1,3 g of fat per 1 kg of body weight. The requirement for saturated fatty acids is 25% of the total fat. It is enough to eat 250g of low-fat cottage cheese (0,5% fat), 2 eggs, 2 tsp. olive oil.
The need for saturated fatty acids increases:
- with various pulmonary diseases: tuberculosis, severe and advanced forms of pneumonia, bronchitis, early stages of lung cancer;
- during the treatment of stomach ulcers, duodenal ulcers, gastritis. With stones in the liver, gall bladder or bladder;
- with strong physical exertion;
- with general depletion of the human body;
- when the cold season comes and additional energy is spent on heating the body;
- during pregnancy and breastfeeding;
- from residents of the Far North.
The need for saturated fat decreases:
- with a significant excess of body weight (you need to reduce the use of EFAs, but not completely exclude them!);
- with a high level of cholesterol in the blood;
- cardiovascular diseases;
- diabetes;
- with a decrease in energy consumption of the body (rest, sedentary work, hot season).
Digestibility of EFAs
Saturated fatty acids are poorly absorbed by the body. The consumption of such fats involves long-term processing of them into energy. It is best to use foods that are low in fat.
Choose lean meat of chicken, turkey, fish is also suitable. Dairy products are better absorbed if they have a low percentage of fat.
Useful properties of saturated fatty acids, their effect on the body
Saturated fatty acids are considered to be the most harmful. But if we consider that breast milk is saturated with these acids in large quantities (in particular, lauric acid), it means that the use of fatty acids is inherent in nature. And this is of great importance for a person’s life. You just need to know which foods are best to eat.
And you can get enough of such benefits from fats! Animal fats are the richest source of energy for humans. In addition, it is an irreplaceable component in the structure of cell membranes, as well as a participant in an important process of hormone synthesis. Only due to the presence of saturated fatty acids is the successful assimilation of vitamins A, D, E, K and many microelements.
Correct consumption of saturated fatty acids improves potency, regulates and normalizes the menstrual cycle. Optimal consumption of fatty foods prolongs and improves the functioning of internal organs.
Interaction with other elements
It is very important for saturated fatty acids to interact with the essential elements. These are vitamins that belong to the fat-soluble class.
The first and most important in this list is vitamin A. It is found in carrots, persimmons, bell peppers, liver, sea buckthorn, egg yolks. Thanks to him – healthy skin, luxurious hair, strong nails.
Vitamin D is also an important element, which ensures the prevention of rickets.
Signs of a lack of EFAs in the body
- disruption of the nervous system;
- underweight;
- deterioration of the condition of nails, hair, skin;
- hormonal imbalance;
- infertility.
Signs of excess saturated fatty acids in the body:
- significant excess body weight;
- atherosclerosis;
- development of diabetes;
- increased blood pressure, disruption of the heart;
- the formation of stones in the kidneys and gallbladder.
Factors affecting the content of EFA in the body
Avoiding EFAs leads to increased stress on the body, because it has to look for substitutes from other food sources in order to synthesize fats. Therefore, EFA consumption is an important factor in the presence of saturated fat in the body.
Selection, storage and preparation of foods containing saturated fatty acids
Following a few simple guidelines when choosing, storing, and preparing foods will help keep saturated fatty acids healthy.
- 1 Unless you have an increased energy expenditure, when choosing food, it is better to give preference to those in which the capacity of saturated fat is low. This will enable the body to better absorb them. If you have foods high in saturated fatty acids, then you should simply limit yourself to a small amount.
- 2 The storage of fats will be long if you exclude the ingress of moisture, high temperature, light into them. Otherwise, saturated fatty acids change their structure, which leads to a deterioration in the quality of the product.
- 3 How to cook foods with EFAs correctly? Cooking foods rich in saturated fat includes grilling, grilling, stewing and boiling. It is better not to use frying. This leads to an increase in the calorie content of food and reduces its beneficial properties.
If you are not going to engage in heavy physical labor, and you do not have special indications for increasing the amount of EFAs, it is still better to slightly limit the consumption of animal fats in your diet. Nutritionists recommend cutting off excess fat from meat before cooking it.
Saturated Fatty Acids for Beauty and Health
The correct intake of saturated fatty acids will make you look healthy and attractive. Gorgeous hair, strong nails, good eyesight, healthy skin are all essential indicators of a sufficient amount of fat in the body.
It is important to remember that EFA is energy that is worth spending in order to avoid creating unnecessary “reserves”. Saturated fatty acids are an essential component of a healthy and beautiful body!