You know there are good fats and bad fats, but what exactly is the deal again? Which fatty acids are good and how much can you consume in a day? Below, we explain in detail what saturated and unsaturated fatty acids are, what essential fatty acids are, and how to achieve the right balance!
What are fatty acids?
A fatty acid is a long chain of hydrocarbon compounds. Your body needs fatty acids every day. It uses these fatty acids as building blocks for cells, hormones, and bile, to absorb vitamins from food, to protect you against the cold, and to convert them into energy.
You find fatty acids in food. Dietary fatty acids are always a mixture of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. However, your body does not need an excess of fatty acids.
These actually raise your cholesterol. That is not good for your heart and blood vessels. Unsaturated fatty acids, on the other hand, ensure better removal of cholesterol. Moreover, you are at greater risk of being overweight if you consume too many fatty acids and also exercise too little.
Essential fatty acids: which fatty acids are good?
Unsaturated fatty acids are good. The fewer saturated fatty acids you consume from red meat and butter, the better.
Therefore, replace saturated fatty acids with unsaturated fatty acids as much as possible. On the other hand , recent research indicates that saturated fat in yogurt, cheese, and fish is actually beneficial for the heart.
Among unsaturated fatty acids, a further distinction is made between monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Polyunsaturated fatty acids lower cholesterol more than monounsaturated unsaturated fatty acids.
Omega-9 fatty acids are monounsaturated fatty acids, which you find in olive oil, for example. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids. Omega-6 fatty acids are found in sunflower oil, cooking fats, and frying fats, among others. Omega-3 fatty acids are found mainly in nuts, avocado, flaxseed, seaweed, and fatty fish. All these fatty acids are essential fatty acids.
This means that your body needs them for good health but cannot produce them itself. Therefore, it is important to eat a varied diet so that you get all fatty acids in a balanced way.
What are saturated fatty acids and why are unsaturated fatty acids better for your body?
Unsaturated fatty acids are the 'healthy' or good fatty acids that provide the essential fatty acids.
Because it is difficult to say which fatty acid belongs to the healthy fatty acids and which does not, it is easier to give advice about fatty acids in the diet.
The recommendation is to eat fish once a week, preferably fatty fish. Fish fatty acids have a beneficial effect on the heart. They contribute to the normal functioning of the heart. The beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 250 mg of the fish fatty acids EPA and DHA.
Fatty acids in food: how much saturated fatty acids can you have per day?
Saturated fatty acids are found mainly in animal products, such as butter, full-fat dairy products and cheese, fatty processed meats, snacks, cookies, chocolate, and pastries. Unsaturated fatty acids are found in, for example, vegetable oil, liquid margarine, nuts and seeds, avocado, and fatty fish.
You already read above why saturated fatty acids are less good for your body. The maximum amount of (saturated) fatty acids you can consume per day varies per fatty acid and per person. Approximately 20-40% of your daily calorie intake should come from fat.
The advice is to obtain no more than 10% of your daily energy from saturated fat. For an adult woman consuming 2,000 kcal per day, this means, for example, a maximum of 20 grams of saturated fat per day. As an example: a croissant contains 4.4 grams of saturated fat and a slice of 48+ cheese contains 5.9 grams.
How is your fatty acid balance?
In the Netherlands, many people consume too much saturated fat and too few unsaturated fatty acids. The saturated and unsaturated fatty acids are out of balance. It would be nice if you could take a fatty acid test to know what your fatty acid balance is like.
Do you already know that you, for example, do not eat fatty fish once a week? Then consider adding a supplement to your daily routine.
Bee Arctic Blue You will find a wide range of products with omega-3, specifically designed to replenish the good, healthy fatty acids in your body. Browse our selection online at your leisure.
