How Unsaturated Fatty Acid Benefits Our Body

June 18, 2009

Unsaturated Fatty Acid is considered healthier than saturated fatty acid. It can found in liquid or solid form, and it provides many health benefits to our body. Saturated fat, on the other hand, mostly comes from animal products and is not considered very healthy.

The foods that contain unsaturated fatty acids are considered some of the healthiest food choices we can pick. In fact, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends that each of us eats a daily diet that contains a total calorie intake of 25 to 30 percent fat, and of this fat, 93 percent of it should be unsaturated.

The Benefits of Unsaturated Fatty Acid

The main health benefit of unsaturated fatty acid is its ability to help lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels (triglycerides are the most common type of fat in our body and high levels of it can be found in many people with high cholesterol levels and heart problems). As we all know, a high cholesterol level means a high risk of heart disease, as well as stroke. Yet, this is only one benefit that our body can enjoy from eating foods enriched in unsaturated fatty acids. Other benefits can include:

Giving the body energy. Fat can be broken down by the body and turned into energy.
Helping to reduce inflammation, especially in such conditions as arthritis.
Helping to reduce asthma type symptoms.
Helping to ensure proper development of the baby during one’s pregnancy.

Incorporating Unsaturated Fat Into Your Diet

Many people will choose to use popular oils, such as fish oil and emu oil, that are high in unsaturated fatty acid in their cooking or in supplement form to reap the health benefits that these oils provide.

Fish oil has the power to: