Vegetable fats: what are they and what are their benefits?

Almost all the food we eat contains a high percentage of fat. And fat from food can be of both animal and vegetable origin; they are lipids that can be liquid or solid and are not recommended to be ingested in excess. But what about vegetable fats, which are the most beneficial for the body?

What are vegetable fats and what is their role in the diet?

When we talk about vegetable fats, we must be aware of the different types. On the one hand, we have solid fats and, on the other hand, oils. In the case of oils, they always remain liquid and at room temperature, and most vegetable fats are oils.

As for solid fats, almost all are of animal origin, such as butter, and only some vegetable fats become solid through an industrial process called hydrogenation, such as margarine or tropical oils. In reality, almost all fats contain a very high percentage of calories and experts have always recommended that they should not be consumed in excess. However, as stated in an article published by Harvard University’s Department of Medicine, our body always needs a little fat from food as it is an important source of energy and helps to absorb certain minerals and vitamins.

According to the institution, we need fats for the construction of cell membranes, the outside of cells and the sheaths surrounding nerves. It also reports how fat is essential for blood clotting, muscle movement and inflammation.

Benefits of vegetable fats and differences from trans fats

Taking care of yourself also means eating fats, but some are indeed healthier than others. Good fats include polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats and bad fats include industrially manufactured trans fats.

A study published in the National Library of Medicine (NIH) alludes to how vegetarian or vegan diets and the Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) that emphasise the consumption of foods with plant fats have a beneficial impact on the gut microbiota and are a good choice for inclusion in a healthy diet.

In particular, they mention several sources of vegetable fats such as nuts, for example, with a very significant amount of ALA, plant-based omega-3 fatty acids or vegetable oils, whose dietary intake has shown positive alterations in the biodiversity of the gut microbiota and has been associated with increased bacterial diversity, as well as beneficial butyrate-producing bacteria, which have a positive impact on metabolism.

On the other hand, other nuts such as flaxseeds or almonds, as well as other fats such as vegetable oils found in sunflower oil, pumpkin, olives, avocados, flaxseeds or chia seeds are good fats and beneficial for heart health.

Foods containing healthy vegetable fats

The intake of certain foods such as vegetable oils or, for example, walnuts, as mentioned above, have been shown to have positive effects on the body, but also other nuts such as hazelnuts.

In addition, other sources of vegetable fats present in sesame, sunflower or soya oils are also healthy. Some of the most essential vegetable fat-based components are foods that include polyunsaturated fatty acids such as omega 3 and omega 6, which are essential for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases at all ages.

A diet with a special emphasis on the intake of plant-based foods and low consumption of red meat or foods such as nuts, vegetable oils such as sesame, sunflower or soya oil, as well as avocados, chia, or flaxseeds are a good dietary choice for the body. 

In short, diets based on foods rich in vegetable fats, together with the supplementation of nutrients based on organic silica such as the multivitamin in Orgono Articomplex capsules, which are a very good nutritional reinforcement for the organism, as well as the G7 Orgono Col capsules which naturally contribute to cardiovascular health.