Associated Health Hazards of a High Saturated Fat Diet

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ASSOCIATED HEALTH HAZARDS OF A HIGH SATURATED FAT DIET Good nutrition means eating the right foods in the right proportions, and being selective about how and what we consume, to provide a carefully balanced diet. A healthy diet should consist of protein, fats, carbohydrates, water, vitamins and minerals. A shortage of any of these constituents can cause deficiencies resulting in body malfunction. Over-nutrition can have a degenerate effect on the body as well. Lipids (fats) are a critical component of our daily diet in providing vital sources of energy. They provide protection by cushioning our organs and supply valuable nutrients such as fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) and other essential fatty acids (EFA’s). However a diet containing too much saturated fat (which can be found in animal and diary products) may have a detrimental effect on our health, leading to many types of illness/disease. There is a common misconception that if a person partakes in exercise they will have a resultant low cholesteral level, thus enjoying a certain immunity to diseases relating to high fat intake. This is not the case. Increasing levels of highly fatty foods over a prolonged amount of time is indiscriminante of age, gender or fitness level. Higher levels of saturated fats will increase the amount of cholesterol produced within the liver. The liver is a major site of biochemical activity within the body. Its homeostatic function is to convert food into other forms and remove excess cholesterol from the blood; any excess cholesterol is excreted as bile into the hepatic vein leading to the heart, thus increasing the amount of cholesterol circulated around the blood stream. Saturated fats are particularly harmful, as they produce low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol; if supply exceeds the demands of cells it can cause a harmful build up. It is important

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