What makes bad fat so bad?‏

I took this test from WebMD about how much I know about fats and got two wrong but corrected my answers for this article. How many would you have gotten right? Be truthful now.

What makes bad fat so bad?‏


Lettuce contains fat.


· Your Answer: True


·Correct Answer: True


Even healthy foods such as carrots and lettuce contain small amounts of fat -- and that’s not a bad thing. Your body has to have some fat to survive. Fat gives you energy and helps your body absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K. Fat also makes food taste good, helps you feel full, and helps give you healthy hair and skin.


Oils are healthier than butter and margarine.


· Your Answer: True


·Correct Answer: True


If you're trying to lose weight, remember butter has the same calories as olive oil -- 120 per tablespoon. But olive oil is better for you than butter because butter has more of the worst kinds of fats -- saturated and trans. That's true generally: Oils have healthy fats, solids have unhealthy fats. Exceptions are coconut oil and palm oil, which are so high in bad fats that they actually count as solid.


What makes bad fats so bad?


· Your Answer: They raise “bad” cholesterol and can clog arteries


·Correct Answer: They raise “bad” cholesterol and can clog arteries


All fats are high in calories, but saturated fat and trans fat raise the "bad" LDL cholesterol in your blood and can cause plaque to build up in your arteries. This can lead to heart attack or stroke. Hard margarine, butter, and shortening all have these bad fats. To keep your heart healthy, choose oils instead. Olive, canola, corn, and safflower oils contain the least saturated fat.


Where do Americans get most of their bad fat?


· Your Answer: Pizza and cheese


·Correct Answer: Pizza and cheese


Most of the artery-clogging saturated fat we eat comes from meat and dairy products. Although ribs, burgers, and ice cream all rank highly, Americans get most of their saturated fat -- more than 14% -- from pizza and cheese.


How can you avoid foods with trans fats?


· Your Answer: Both


·Correct Answer: Both


Trans fats are a double whammy for your heart: They raise levels of bad cholesterol and lower levels of good cholesterol. They're everywhere in processed foods like fries, doughnuts, and pastries. You can't rely on the label to tell if a food has trans fats: Anything less than .5 g of trans fat can be listed as 0 g. If you see "partially hydrogenated," it has trans fat.


Which is worse for your heart?


· Your Answer: A stick of margarine


·Correct Answer: A stick of margarine


Research has shown that some kinds of margarine, particularly the hard stick kinds, are worse for your heart than butter because they have lots of trans fat. However, there are some margarine spreads that have plant sterols, which may help lower cholesterol. Your best bet is to check the label before you buy, and read the ingredients list for hidden trans fats -- or dip bread in olive oil.


Light olive oil has fewer calories than extra virgin olive oil.


· Your Answer: False


·Correct Answer: False


When it comes to olive oil, it's about color, fragrance, and taste -- not calories or fat. All olive oils -- pure, virgin, extra virgin, and light -- have the same number of calories. The "light" in light olive oil refers to the color and fragrance. "Virgin" and "extra virgin" olive oils are less acidic than pure olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil has the most robust, fruity taste.


Why is olive oil better for you than corn oil?


· Your Answer: Both


·Correct Answer: Both


Olive oil and corn oil have the same number of calories and are mostly healthy fats. Neither contains any cholesterol. Olive oil has a higher percentage of a kind of fat -- monounsaturated -- that research suggests can help lower blood cholesterol. Olive oil also contains more antioxidants, which protect your cells.


What's good about albacore tuna, salmon, and sardines?


· Your Answer: They're high in omega-3 fatty acids


·Correct Answer: They're high in omega-3 fatty acids


Your body needs omega-3 fatty acids to survive. Cold water fish have lots of omega-3 fatty acids, but omega-3s can also be found in flaxseed, flax oil, walnuts, canola oil, and soybean oil. Omega-3 fatty acids help lower the risk of heart disease.


How much fat you eat is more important than the kind of fat.


· Your Answer: False


·Correct Answer: False


It’s not necessarily about how much fat you take in, but rather the type of fat you consume that has the biggest impact on your heart health.


Eat a doughnut at breakfast and large fries at lunch and you've had:


· Your Answer: Five times the daily recommended allowance of bad fat


·Correct Answer: Five times the daily recommended allowance of bad fat


Here’s bad news if you enjoy junk food: One doughnut adds 3.2 grams of unhealthy trans-fatty acids to your diet, and a large order of french fries adds 6.8 grams. Experts recommend keeping your intake of trans fat as low as possible, and some suggest eliminating trans fat entirely. The American Heart Association recommends limiting trans fat to less than 1% of your daily calories.


How much oil should you have in a day?


· Your Answer: It depends


·Correct Answer: It depends


How much you should eat really depends on how active you are and your age and gender. For women, it's about 5-6 teaspoons. For men, it’s 5-7 teaspoons. And remember, you're already getting some oil from fish, nuts, cooking oil, and salad dressing.


What's the best oil for a marinade?


· Your Answer: Flaxseed oil


·Correct Answer: Flaxseed oil


Flaxseed oil shouldn't be heated and is best used in dressings, dips, and marinades. It's an excellent source of omega-3. Canola oil works well for baking, and peanut oil is ideal for stir frying.