Tuesday, March 10, 2009

trans fat?

Most of us don't think twice about tucking into curry puffs, banana, fritters, doughnuts, cupcakes, fries, muffins, chocolate chip cookies and the like (Life is short for so many things to consider). Although delicious, these foods contain trans fatty acid, which, if consumed too heavily, can lead to an early death. High consumption of trans fatty acid leads to an increase in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or bad cholesterol. Prince Court Medical Centre chief dietician Datin Farah Diba Khan says that malaysians are concerned about cholesterol levels but not about trans fat. " The human body does need fat. when taken in moderation, it becomes energy. The more physically active are allowed to consume more fat. On the other hand, an overweight person with a sedentary lifestyle should consume less," says Farah.
The american Heart association recommends that one per cent of your total calorie intake per day come from trans fat. This translates into a very small portion of trans fat in our diet per day. " The best way is to eat moderately, in small portions and have more variety in your diet. Try to avoid eating too much deep-fried food." According to the American heart Association, if a person needs 2,000 calories a day, no more than 20 of those calories should come from trans fat a day. With the amount of naturally occuring trans fats that we probably eat every day, there is virtually no room at all for industrially manufactured trans fats. The assocaition recommends that we replace the trans fats in our diet with monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fat. When eaten in moderation, monounsaturated fats can help reduce bad cholesterol levels in your blood and lower your risk of heart disease and stroke.
Food high in this fat include vegetable oils such as olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil and sesame oil. Other sources include avacados, peanut butter, and many of the nuts and seeds. Polyunsaturated fats include essential fats that your body needs but cannot produce itself, including omega-6 and omega-3. Food high in polyunsaturated fat includes soybean oil, corn oil and safflower oil and fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, herring and trout. another worrying trend among Malaysians is their love of deep-fried foodand large portions. "When they order a plate of fried kuey teow and it comes in a small portion, they are unhappy. Malaysians are now eating bigger portions and if the food is deep-fried , you can imagine how much trans fats they are consuming in a day!" says farah. " Try to grill or bake your food instead of frying it." Farah advises a mix-and-match food plan, reducing the intake of fat for the day. Start the day with a bowl of cereal and avoid eating fried or oily food in the morning. For lunch, have noodle soup or asam lasksa. Go for fresh fruits instead of sweet drinks. If you 're still hungry during tea break, have a cup of plain tea with high-fibre buscuits. ( i do not think the high-fibre biscuits are my type of snacks =.=")







Can you live without this?








This?















Not this if it were to be those freshly made from 'Famous Amos"









Definitely not this.

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