Myths About Nutrition
Nutrition Myth Paper: All Fats are Bad
Society has given fats horrible reputations, making it seem like “All Fats are Bad.” Yes, most of us have a negative reaction when hearing the word "fat" - it does not matter the context in which we hear, see or read this second "f" word. We think that all the phrases that contain this word or make reference to it must be a bad, unhealthy thing. However, biologists have proven us that things are not that black-and-white as they may seem. Try taking into account that there are friendly and unfriendly fats. This means the subject has a beneficial side and also a less beneficial side that people need to have a better understanding of.
The fats found in foods are divided into four groups; saturated, mono-unsaturated, poly-unsaturated and trans-saturated fats. Each group of fats is differently assimilated by our organism, having good or bad effects upon our health. There are also the fatty acids, which form all the fats mentioned above. The four types of fats are formed from fatty acids, which are, in turn, made up of carbon and hydrogen molecules in different chemical combinations (“Brown 18-3"). These molecules build up fats and oils, biologically known as lipids. Lipids consist in long chains of fatty acids, and these chains of carbon and hydrogen atoms can be saturated or unsaturated (“Brown 18-4"). Usually, a carbon atom has 4 slots where 4 hydrogen atoms should be attached. If, in a fatty acid, all the 4 slots of each carbon have a hydrogen atom attached and other carbons adjacent to it, this means that it is a saturated lipid or fat (“Brown 18-4”). On the other hand, there are cases in which not all the 4 slots of a carbon have a hydrogen atom attached, and there are two slots on adjacent pair of carbon atoms bound to each other that lead to a double carbon-carbon bond; If this double bond occurs only once in the chain, then the fatty acid is a mono-unsaturated one (“Brown 18-4”).The last situation relates to another
Society has given fats horrible reputations, making it seem like “All Fats are Bad.” Yes, most of us have a negative reaction when hearing the word "fat" - it does not matter the context in which we hear, see or read this second "f" word. We think that all the phrases that contain this word or make reference to it must be a bad, unhealthy thing. However, biologists have proven us that things are not that black-and-white as they may seem. Try taking into account that there are friendly and unfriendly fats. This means the subject has a beneficial side and also a less beneficial side that people need to have a better understanding of.
The fats found in foods are divided into four groups; saturated, mono-unsaturated, poly-unsaturated and trans-saturated fats. Each group of fats is differently assimilated by our organism, having good or bad effects upon our health. There are also the fatty acids, which form all the fats mentioned above. The four types of fats are formed from fatty acids, which are, in turn, made up of carbon and hydrogen molecules in different chemical combinations (“Brown 18-3"). These molecules build up fats and oils, biologically known as lipids. Lipids consist in long chains of fatty acids, and these chains of carbon and hydrogen atoms can be saturated or unsaturated (“Brown 18-4"). Usually, a carbon atom has 4 slots where 4 hydrogen atoms should be attached. If, in a fatty acid, all the 4 slots of each carbon have a hydrogen atom attached and other carbons adjacent to it, this means that it is a saturated lipid or fat (“Brown 18-4”). On the other hand, there are cases in which not all the 4 slots of a carbon have a hydrogen atom attached, and there are two slots on adjacent pair of carbon atoms bound to each other that lead to a double carbon-carbon bond; If this double bond occurs only once in the chain, then the fatty acid is a mono-unsaturated one (“Brown 18-4”).The last situation relates to another
Cited: Brown, Judith E. Nutrition Now. 6th ed. Wadsworth, 2010. Print. Johnson, Cathy. "Is Fat so Bad? - Health & Wellbeing." ABC.net.au. ABC Health and Wellbeing. Web. 02 Oct. 2011. <http://www.abc.net.au/health/features/stories/2006/08/31/1835452.htm>. "Obesity and Overweight for Professionals: Data and Statistics: Adult Obesity | DNPAO | CDC." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 19 July 2011. Web. 02 Oct. 2011. <http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html>. “Types Of Fats." Bay Area Nutrition. Bay Area Nutrition LLC. Web. 02 Oct. 2011. <http://www.bayareanutrition.com/articles/typesoffats.html>.