Polyunsaturated fats are an essential fatty acid (EFA) which means they cannot be produced by your body and must be sourced from diet alone. They can be found in various foods including dairy products, oily fish and nuts. There are two main types; omega 3 EFAs and omega 6 EFAs. In this article I will be covering this type of dietary fat in greater detail.

Dietary fats are all made from a combination of carbon and hydrogen atoms. Polyunsaturated fats contain two or more double carbon bonds (hence the name ‘poly’). They have the lowest melting point of all three natural fats (saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) and are liquid at room temperature.

As discussed above there are two main types of polyunsaturated fat; omega 3 EFAs and omega 6 EFAs. Whilst they both fall under the same fat group there are some key differences between the two which I have listed below:

1) OMEGA 3 EFAS
Omega 3 EFAs can be found in cold water fish, dairy products, eggs and meats. They offer numerous health benefits which include:
- Healthy Vision.
- Helping You Absorb Fat Soluble Vitamins.
- Improved Brain Health.
- Reduced Cancer Risk.
- Reduced Heart Disease Risk.
- Reduced Inflammation.

However, excess consumption of omega 3 EFAs is dangerous and can lead to the following negative symptoms:
- Increased Blood Glucose Levels.
- Thinning Blood.

2) OMEGA 6 EFAS
Omega 6 EFAs can be found in nuts, certain oils and wholemeal products. They too support good health and offer the following benefits:
- Healthy Skin.
- Reduced PMS Symptoms in Women.
- Strong Bones.

However, like with omega 3 EFAs eating too many omega 6 EFAs can be damaging to your health and lead to:
- Cancer.
- Depression.
- Heart Disease.
- Inflammation.
- Interference with Omega 3 EFAs.

When it comes to enjoying the benefits and avoiding the risks, balance and moderate consumption is the key. This can be achieved by eating fish regularly (fish is one of the best sources of omega 3 EFAs available), minimising your consumption of processed goods (processed goods cause your EFA consumption to be unbalanced as they contain very high levels of omega 6 EFAs but very low levels of omega 3 EFAs) and making sure that your diet does not contain excessive levels of polyunsaturated fats.

I hope this article has given you a better understanding of this dietary fat. Whilst it is essential for good health some precautions have to be exercised. So make sure you consume polyunsaturated fats sensibly and they will keep your body running smoothly.

Tom Parker owns and operates a number of useful fitness resources and websites. You can learn more about polyunsaturated fat by visiting; href=”http://blog.freefitnesstips.co.uk/what-is-polyunsaturated-fat.html

Making Sushi is a fulltime profession that requires skill, knowledge, speed and a love for the food. A professional Itamae, or a sushi chef for us English speakers, is a well-trained individual. But don’t let that stop you from making homemade sushi. You can buy the kosher sushi or regular sushi ingredients wholesale and make whatever rolls you want, becoming in your eyes, as well as your friends an family’s, a great Itamae.

Before beginning your homemade sushi there are a couple of safety precautions to keep in mind. First you will want to buy quality sushi, as the fish will be eaten raw. Also remember that fresh water fish should not be eaten raw. Unlike fish from the ocean, fresh water fish have a high risk of carrying food born pathogens. Secondly, keep the fish in sanitary conditions. When it is not in use, keep it cool. A perfect place for it is in the refrigerator, wrapped in plastic wrap, over a bed of ice so that it may drain.

Now the cooking may commence. But what all do you need? You can buy whatever seafood, sauce and vegetables you want to explore using, so that part is up to you. The soy sauce and Wasabi are also up to the buyer. You may want low sodium or very salty soy sauce. And you may want the common horseradish style sushi or traditional Wasabi for your homemade sushi. You will need Nori or seaweed sheets, these are essential in the wrapping of the rolls and help the rice in holding it all together.

Next you will need rice. The rice must be Japanese short grain rice, sometimes called Sushi rice in western markets. A rice cooker is perfect for the job and it needs to be at room temperature after cooking, in order to roll.

To round out the process you need a bamboo sheet and a sharp knife. The bamboo sheet is necessary in the rolling process and the overall aesthetic of the kosher sushi. A good knife will make the job much easier and the Japanese have a specific one for the job known as a Bento Knife. Both of these tools will make life much easier for the chef.

Now you’re ready to explore the art of homemade Sushi. Enjoy the endless possibilities and the vast amount of creativity that comes with this style of cooking. The chef can be as experimental as or as conservative as he or she sees fit. The choices are all yours, Chef! Enjoy it.

William Gold, the author of this article, has researched Homemade Sushi extensively. You should check out http://www.sushimaven.com if you are in need of Kosher Sushi. SushiMaven.com has a wide selection and offers unbeatable prices and service.

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There is very little argument about the health benefits that can be gained by including virgin olive oil in your daily diet. The problem is in a lack of knowledge about what this oil is and is not. There are a lot of mis-conceptions out there about this incredible product. Are you falling for these myths, or are you aware of these 3 little known facts about virgin olive oil. Let’s find out.

The 3 Facts You Need To Know

Okay, you already know about all of the amazing benefits that this incredible gift has. You know it’s great for your heart, your skin, and many other aspects of your life and health. It’s also a great tasting and very diverse ingredient for the foods that we eat. Here are the 3 most unknown facts you should be aware of and always consider when looking to make a purchase. Don’t get ripped off. Gain the education necessary and the experience will be well worth the work involved.

1. The first little known fact is that nearly 90% of oil that is supposedly made and packaged in Italy is in reality imported from Spain. Add to that the fact that only 3,000 gallons of this precious substance is every released each year. The rest is imitation. It has been an extremely well controlled food product for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.

2. Extra virgin is a very loosely used term. Often times you can see the sediment at the bottom of a bottle claiming to be extra virgin. Other times it’s obvious, just by taking a look at how inexpensive the product looks, that it’s most likely to good to be true. These plant products are very strictly rated based on the pressing process, taste tests, color, and various other elements.

3. Finally on our list is the mis-conception believed by many people about shelf life and storage of these types of products. First of all, it shouldn’t be refrigerated but it does require a dark space that is cool. Also, it should also be stored for no more than a year. Temperature and light exposure plays a critical part of prolonging the overall shelf life. In addition, it doesn’t get better the longer you have it. Age doesn’t improve quality. People also believe that it will keep longer because it has a very low acidity level. The acid level has nothing to do with how long it will keep.

The best taste demands the best quality. Don’t settle for imitation or fake Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Why would you settle for anything other than the products found at http://www.Oliveoilshop.com

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Saturated fats are often given a lot of negative publicity. However, research suggests that they may not be as bad as many people believe and in fact may be quite healthy. In this article I will be taking a more detailed look at this type of dietary fat and reveal the truth behind it.

All dietary fats are made from a combination of carbon and hydrogen atoms. With this type every carbon atom is bonded to (or ‘saturated’ with) a hydrogen atom. It has the highest melting point of the three natural fats (saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) and remains solid at room temperature.

Animal products are the most common source of saturated fat. Red meats (including beef, lamb and pork) and dairy products (such as butter, cheese and eggs) both contain very high levels. However, some none animal products including avocado and coconut are also rich in this macronutrient.

Most sources suggest that saturated fat is detrimental to your health because it raises overall cholesterol levels which can then lead to heart disease, high blood pressure and organ damage. However, closer inspection of the research behind these suggestions reveals multiple flaws. Not only was the research performed on a very small sample of countries but it also ignored the effects of other negative lifestyle factors.

The most revealing factor however is that rates of cancer and heart disease only started to rise rapidly from the 1930s onwards. Saturated fats were blamed for this rapid increase despite the fact people had eaten them for thousands of years. But people had started eating a new food product during the 1930s – man made, artificial, hydrogenated trans fats. These were developed by vegetable oil producers so that they could create products with a long shelf life such as margarine and market them as an alternative to popular saturated fat choices such as butter and lard. These same companies then used saturated fat as a scapegoat for the health risks associated with their product.

That is not all either. This type of dietary fat actually has many health benefits. These include:
- Healthy Nervous System.
- Helping your Heart Disease with Stress.
- Improved Absorption of Essential Fatty Acids.
- Improved Brain Health.
- Improved Liver Health.
- Improved Lung Health.
- Reduced Heart Disease Risk.
- Strong Bones.
- Strong Cell Walls.
- Strong Immune System.

I hope this article has showed you saturated fats are not all bad. In fact they can be quite good for you. So if you have been avoiding them change your approach and start making them a regular part of your diet. They are essential for good health and your body needs them to survive.

Tom Parker owns and operates a number of useful fitness resources and websites. You can learn more about saturated fats by visiting; http://blog.freefitnesstips.co.uk/what-is-saturated-fat.html

Dietary fats are a much maligned macronutrient. They are often linked with negative conditions such as cancer, heart disease and obesity. However, without dietary fats your body cannot function properly. In this article I reveal the truth about the four dietary fats.

Unlike the other macronutrients (carbohydrates and protein), dietary fats are very high in calories containing nine calories per gram (carbohydrates and protein contain four calories per gram). There are four different types. All four types are chemically similar and made from a combination of carbon and hydrogen atoms. However, the exact way they are put together determines the type they will be. Below I am going to discuss each of the four fat types in a little more detail.

1) SATURATED:- In saturated fats, all the carbon atoms are bonded to hydrogen atoms. They are a natural fat and have the highest melting point of the three natural fats staying solid at room temperature. Animal products such as meat and dairy are often the richest food source of saturated fats but there are some very good none animal sources including coconut. Despite what many people think saturated fats actually offer numerous health benefits and should be included as part of your diet. They support your immune system, keep your cell walls strong and keep your vital organs healthy.

2) MONOUNSATURATED:- In monounsaturated fats, the carbon atoms are bonded to hydrogen atoms at all but one point. They are also a natural fat and have a lower melting point than saturated fats but a higher melting point than polyunsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats can be found in a number of foods including avocado and olive oil. They are a very good source of fat soluble vitamins and have also been linked with cancer prevention. Therefore, you should make sure the foods you eat contain a good helping of monounsaturated fats.

3) POLYUNSATURATED:-In polyunsaturated fats, there are two or more double carbon bonds. They are a natural fat and have the lowest melting point of all three staying liquid at low temperatures. Polyunsaturated fats are also an essential fatty acid (EFA) meaning that your body cannot produce them and they have to be sourced from your diet. Polyunsaturated fats can be found in oily fish in the form of omega 3 EFAs and vegetable oils in the form of omega 6 EFAs. They have multiple benefits including keeping your brain, heart and skin healthy and so should be consumed on a regular basis.

4) TRANS:- In trans fats, hydrogen atoms are added to unsaturated fats either naturally or through an artificial process called hydrogenation. The vast majority of trans fats are unnatural, have a very high melting point and stay solid at room temperature. Since most trans fats are man made they are normally found in processed goods such as biscuits and cakes. Unlike the naturally occurring fats, trans fats have no reported health benefits and can actually be damaging to your health. Therefore, you should minimise your consumption of them where possible.

As you can see dietary fats are not as bad as most people believe. Not only do the natural fats support proper growth and keep your organs healthy but they also protect you from many diseases. So if you are one of the people who thought dietary fats were bad stop avoiding them and start eating them today.

Tom Parker owns and operates a number of useful fitness resources and websites. You can learn more about dietary fats by visiting; http://blog.freefitnesstips.co.uk/what-is-dietary-fat.html

Monounsaturated fats are a type of dietary fat that can be found in nuts, oils and seeds. The benefits of this macronutrient have been well publicised in recent years. Today I am going to look at this type of fat in greater detail.

All dietary fats are constructed from carbon and hydrogen atoms. With monounsaturated fat the carbon atoms are bonded to hydrogen atoms at all but one point (hence the name ‘mono’). It is a natural fat with a higher melting point than saturated fat but a lower melting point than polyunsaturated fat.

There are a number of different types of monounsaturated fats. These include:
- Cis-Vaccenic Acid.
- Oleic Acid.
- Palmitoleic Acid.

It can be found in many foods with nuts, oils and seeds containing very high levels. Some of the best food sources include:
- Avocados.
- Brazil Nuts.
- Olive Oil.
- Pumpkin Seeds.

Monounsaturated fats have many health benefits. Some of the main ones are listed below:

1) BURNING BODY FAT:- Some studies suggest that this type of dietary fat helps reduce central body fat distribution and increases the overall amount of body fat that you burn.

2) CANCER PREVENTION:- If you get your monounsaturated fat from olive oil it could help protect you from colon cancer and breast cancer. Olive oil contains a number of cancer preventing ingredients including flavonoids, polyphenols and squalene.

3) GOOD SOURCE OF FAT SOLUBLE VITAMINS:- The majority of foods containing this macronutrient are also rich in fat soluble vitamins which promote good health. Some of their benefits include helping you absorb essential minerals, helping your blood clot and protecting your cells from damaging free radicals. A diet rich in monounsaturated fats also helps you properly absorb fat soluble vitamins and fully enjoy their benefits.

4) IMPROVED BLOOD GLUCOSE CONTROL:- This type of dietary fat contain high levels of adiponectin (a substance that helps your cells absorb glucose from the blood). It also makes your cells more sensitive to insulin (a hormone which allows your cell’s to take glucose from the blood). This is of particular benefit to diabetics for whom blood sugar control is of vital importance.

I hope this article has taught you a little more about monounsaturated fats and the associated health benefits. If you are not doing so already make sure this macronutrient is a regular fixture in your diet. Use olive oil in your cooking, snack on nuts instead of crisps and make sure you do so regularly.

Tom Parker owns and operates a number of useful fitness resources and websites. You can learn more about monounsaturated fats by visiting; http://blog.freefitnesstips.co.uk/what-is-monounsaturated-fat.html