Vegetable fats are good fats that come from plants. There are various benefits of vegetable fats to maintain a healthy body, including lowering cholesterol levels and preventing heart disease.
Vegetable fats are different from saturated fats and trans fats which can actually contribute to increasing the amount of bad cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein/LDL) in the blood and trigger the emergence of various diseases in the body.
Various Benefits of Vegetable Fats for Body Health
Vegetable fats in the form of food and oil are sources of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats are usually found in vegetable oils, olive oil, peanut oil, avocados and nuts.
Meanwhile, polyunsaturated fats contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that you can find in fish, soybeans, tofu, plant oils, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and pumpkin seeds.
Some of the benefits of the two types of vegetable fat, including:
Lowering bad cholesterol
Vegetable fats are rich in phytosterols. A study explains that even in small amounts, phytosterols can inhibit the absorption of bad cholesterol. Vegetable fats are also considered to be able to increase good cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein/HDL).
Reduce the risk of heart disease
Various studies have revealed that eating lots of foods with saturated fat and trans fats can increase the risk of heart disease. On the other hand, eating foods high in unsaturated fats, such as vegetable fats, can reduce the risk of heart disease.
Prevent prostate cancer risk
According to a study, prostate cancer patients who have replaced their diet with animal fats with plant-based foods have a lower risk of dying from prostate cancer.
That's because vegetable fats can increase blood levels of antioxidants, as well as reduce insulin and inflammation, which can delay the development of prostate cancer.
Choosing the Right Processed Vegetable Fat Products
Although healthier than animal fats, vegetable fats also have a bad impact on health, especially vegetable fats that have undergone a refining process, such as vegetable oils. This is because the vegetable oil refining process can remove the phytosterol content which is an important element.
The thing to consider before choosing a vegetable oil product is to make sure the product does not contain saturated fat (saturated fat). You can read the product content on the packaging label.
Vegetable fats have many benefits, but avoid consuming these fats in excess. You also have to balance it with your intake of other nutrients, including animal fats, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals.
If necessary, consult a doctor to get recommendations for consumption of vegetable fats and the right diet for you.
