Posts Tagged ‘linoleic acid’

Are fats bad for your diet?

Cooking Oils

Contrary to prevailing propaganda, fats and oils are very important components of diet. The consumption of naturally occurring,  unprocessed or minimally processed fats and oils plays a role in maintaining good health. In addition to the well-recognized need for unprocessed omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, there is strong evidence that some of the medium-chain saturated fatty acids such as lauric acid are essential since they are needed for maintaining the natural ability of the individual to fight potentially harmful microorganisms. In addition to antimicrobial fatty acids such as lauric acid found principally in coconut oil and palm kernel oil, fatty acids such as the anticarcinogen conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and immunesupporting fats, such as glycosphingolipids, are found in dairy and animal fats.

The bottom line is to consume as many whole foods and whole food mixtures as possible. Since we live in a society where other people prepare most of the foods many of us eat, it is important to look for those foods that are the least processed and, when it comes to fats and oils, the least likely to go rancid.

SOURCE: Know Your Fats : The Complete Primer for Understanding the Nutrition of Fats, Oils and Cholesterol; Mary G. Enig, PhD