Saturated and unsaturated fats are included in American diets. Foods containing fatty acids include milk, fish, beef, eggs, cookies, bread, crackers, chips, margarine, fish and vegetable oils, butter, and lard. They may also contain cis and trans unsaturated fats in different proportions. Where do you stand on eating any kind of fat regardless of its level? Why?

 

Foods that are rich in fat such as cookies, margarine, vegetable oils, and butter should be taken in small proportions. As suggested by the USDA food pyramid, this type of food should be taken sparingly since these foods can lead to severe heart conditions. Fats are composed of a long carbon chain which makes them non-polar compounds. Since water is a polar compound, fats are not soluble in it. The blood is composed mainly of water, thus, fats are not soluble in the blood. These fats tend to clump on the blood vessels, causing high blood pressure. When the vessels are clogged, the heart works more than normal to pump the blood. When prolonged, this can cause weakening of the heart and severe heart conditions that are most of the time, irreversible. Thus, it is not safe to consume too much fat.