Question

why are unsaturated fatty acids the “good” fats to have in your diet? What is the importance of unsaturated omega-3 fatty acids and unsaturated omega-6 fatty acids in your diet? What percentage of your total fat intake should be unsaturated fatty acids? What kinds of foods contain a significant amount of unsaturated fatty acids? And is it possibly to consume too many unsaturated fatty acids in your diet, and if so what are some effects that the increased amounts of unsaturated fatty acids would have on your body, likes diseases or health conditions?

Answer 1

Answer:

Unsaturated fatty acids contain at least one double bond throughout their entire length. They are either monounsaturated or polyunsaturated. The three most important polyunsaturated fatty acid or PUFA are ;

Linoleic, Linolenic and arachidonic acid. They are called good fatty acids since they are essential for the the maintainance of the normal structure of the membranes in our body, help with excretion of cholesterol and take part in biological oxidation as well. They also increase the fluidity of the biomembranes. Linolenic and linoleic fatty acids cannot be synthesised in the body hence called essential fatty acids. These need to be taken in through the diet.

The unsaturated good fats help in reducing elevated cholesterol levels in the blood (The LDL cholesterol level) which can put the body at high risk of developing heart diseases. They also help in lowering the triglyceride levels.

Omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids get their names from the distance at which the double bonds are located at the beginning of the chain. They help in elevating the good cholesterol levels in the blood (HDL) and also contributes to the excretion of cholesterol.

However, The amount of unsaturated fatty acid intake should be limited to a 30% of the total calorie intake, because excessive unsaturated intake can have a negative effect on maintaining the HDL to LDL ratio and hence causing heart health issues.

Types of food containing unsaturated fatty acids are olive oil, avocados, salmon, mackerel, flax seeds, sardines, sunflower oil.

However, The ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 intake in the diet should be 4:1. Very high intake of omega 6 oils can lead to lowering of HDL, elevating triglycerides, and even cause platelet aggregation which could increase the incidences of arterial blockage, coronary heart diseases and atherosclerosis.