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TwitThisThe "Anti-Fat" Fat
Another type of fat is called polyunsaturated fat. Found in most vegetable oils, fish oils, and oily fish, this fat lowers total blood cholesterol and reduces blood stickiness, thus preventing clotting. It's made up of essential fatty acids, which help your cells communicate, protect you from cancer, and regulate blood sugar.There are two main types of essential fatty acids: linoleic acid (omega 6) and alpha-linolenic acid (omega 3). Neither one of these can be made by our bodies; we must get them from food.
Omega-6 fatty acids are found in most vegetable oils, like safflower, sunflower, corn, and soybean. Omega-3s are found in most fish and in flaxseed. Most of us get way more omega-6 fats than omega-3s, and that's not good. While omega-6s don't contribute to increased LDL like saturated fats do, they can lower HDL and increase the oxidation of LDL, contributing to the production of cell-damaging free radicals. Omega-3s, on the other hand, lower VLDL (which eventually turn into LDL) and triglycerides. They're the reason Greenland Eskimos have such low rates of heart disease, despite the fact that they have one of the highest-fat diets in the world, get very few vegetables, fruits, or fiber, and they smoke.
Unlike the Eskimos, Americans don't get nearly enough of these valuable fats. Our early ancestors got a nearly perfect 1:1 ratio between omega-6s and omega-3s; today our ratio is closer to 25:1. So a cholesterol smart lifestyle increases the fish in your diet, adds a fish-oil supplement, and encourages you to sprinkle flaxseed on everything from yogurt to cereal. It also switches you over from the ubiquitous corn oil to more healthful fats like canola and olive oils. Substituting these fats for saturated fats lowers LDL and also increases HDL.
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