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Smart Fats: Conclusive research now clearly shows that the amount and type of fat consumed during fetal development, infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, old age - and indeed every day of your life - has a profound effect on how you think and feel. There is a definite link between learning, behavior, concentration and essential fatty acids. Your brain is 60% fat, if you take out all the water. This fatty tissue does need replenishing, but it's critical to know which fats will feed your brain the best. Some fats are not only positively good for you, they are absolutely vital for mental health and to maximize your intelligence. Essential Fats: (Good Fat!) Essential fatty acids, are good for us; they are called essential because they must be provided in the diet since the body cannot consistently make them. Omega - 3 and Omega - 6 are essential fats that our body needs. Eat seeds (flax, sunflower, sesame, and pumpkin), fish, legumes, nuts and beans for the most wholesome source of these fats. You may choose to supplement with concentrated fish oils and seed oils, such as flax, evening primrose or borage oil. Phospholipids are the "intelligent" fats in your brain. They are the insulation experts helping make up the myelin that sheathes all nerves and so promoting a smooth run for all the signals in the brain. Not only do phospholipids enhance your mood, mind and mental performance, they also protect against age-related memory decline and Alzheimer's disease. Your best source for phospholipids is lecithin. Children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and dyslexia often have lower than normal levels of key essential fatty acids. Adding these "good" fats into the diet of these children can make a real difference. Unsaturated Fat: In foods of plant origin, a large proportion of the fatty acids are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. In some fatty acids, a pair of hydrogen atoms in the middle of a chain is missing, creating a gap that leaves two carbon atoms connected by a double bond rather than a single bond. Because the chain has fewer hydrogen atoms, it is said to be "unsaturated." A fatty acid with one double bond is called "monounsaturated" because it has one gap. Fatty acids having more than one gap are called "polyunsaturated." These fats do not raise LDL cholesterol levels and have health benefits when eaten in moderation. Sources of monounsaturated fats include olive and canola oils. Sources of polyunsaturated fats include soybean, corn, sunflower oils, and foods like nuts. Saturated Fats: (Bad Fat!) Saturated fat raises levels of bad cholesterol (low-density lipoproteins) and prevents good cholesterol (high-density lipoproteins) from doing its job of cleaning the circulatory system. A saturated fatty acid has the maximum possible number of hydrogen atoms attached to every carbon atom. High amounts of saturated fat are found in foods of animal origin, like beef, pork, chicken skin, butter, whole milk and cheese. Coconut, palm, and palm kernel oil also contain high levels of saturated fat. It is important to choose foods with lower amounts of saturated fats. A Quick Guide - 5% DV (Daily Value) or less is low; 20%DV or more is high. Trans Fats: (Ugly Fat!) - hydrogenated oils; partially hydrogenated oils; vegetable oil shortening, shortening; hydrogenated vegetable oil; partially hydrogenated vegetable oil The worst fats you can eat are called "trans" fats. They are unhealthy and artificially altered by bubbling hydrogen gas through vegetable oil at high temperatures. The process changes the molecular structure of unsaturated liquid fats and transforms them into solid trans fatty acids, like in vegetable shortenings and some margarines. This process helps the product have a longer shelf life - so all the "processed, packaged foods" in the center aisles of the grocery store are the most likely to contain trans fat. Canada does not require companies to list the trans fat content until January, 2006. These damaged fats are found in deep-fried food and foods containing hydrogenated vegetable oils. After you eat trans fats, they can be taken directly into the brain where they interfere with thinking processes. They also block the conversion of essential fats into vital brain fats. Trans fat pushes up the bad cholesterol and knocks out the good cholesterol. Medical evidence indicates that trans fats can clog arteries and lead to premature heart disease. Most popular children's snacks contain alarming amounts of trans fatty acids. Trans fat can even be found in baby formula, some baby foods and in breakfast cereals.
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