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Types of Beneficial Oils

By Ben Mester

Republish: EasyPublish™
Published: 21Jul2011
Word count: 530
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There are a lot of different kinds of oils out there and a lot of different types of fats. There are trans fats, partially hydrogenated fats, polyunsaturated fats, monounsaturated fats, and saturated fats. Oils are just fats in liquid form. Keeping everything straight in the world of fats and oils can be a challenge to say the least. But in the modern world, with so much available to us, it's important to know what kinds of oils and fats are best for you to consume and to determine whether or not your diet should conatin some fats and oils over other oils.

There are many differences between the different kinds of fats and oils, differences in nutrition, cooking value, and effects on cholesterol and blood pressure. Some oils are very nutritious and yet bad for cooking because of their low smoke point and tendency toward heat damage. Other oils are great for cooking but aren't very nutritious for the body. In the last couple of decades, there have been many mistruths proclaimed about fats and oils, and many products such as margarine, which have purported to be heathly, have been widely used and have at least partially caused a rise in chronic conditions such as heart disease.

Most oils that you'll hear about these days contain a variety of Omega essential fatty acids. Most people have heard of Omega essential fatty acids but aren't quite sure what they are. Omega essential fatty acids are composed of three different types, Omega 3s, Omega 6s, and Omega 9s. All three are very valuable to the body and the difference between them has to do with where the double bond between 2 carbon atoms within the molecule first takes place. In Omega 3s, the first double bond takes place at the 3rd carbon molecule, Omega 6's first double bond takes place at the 6th carbon molecule, and so forth. These 3 types of Omega essential fatty acids are all polyunsaturated fats and are used heavily by the body. Every cell in the body has a membrane surrounding it that's composed primarily of Omega 3 essential fatty acids, and Omega 6s and 9s have function in a wide variety of different bodily functions.

In the past, the reputation of these oils has been tarnished by oil distributors promoting "lowfat" oils. But in recent years, many studies have shown that oils high in polyunsaturated fats, instead of contributing negatively to things like cholesterol, heart disease, and blood pressure, actually have been shown to have positive effects. There are a number of different reasons for this, but one main reason is that these oils help to raise the HDL cholesterol, also knows as good cholesterol, while simultaneously lowering LDL, or bad cholesterol. So even though the overall effect of some of these oils might be an elevated level of cholesterol, high HDL and low LDL is generally seen as a healthy state. HDL is very beneficial to the body and can actually help the body remove harmful plaque and buildup from arterial walls. Simply lowering total levels of cholesterol like many medications do is now coming under some sharp criticism.

A correct understanding of fats and oils is crucial in the modern age. There are so many oils out there and so many oil benefits that correspond with them. If you aren't sure where to start, check out the amazing coconut oil benefits that come with cooking with the oil and applying it topically to the skin.

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