Search
  • Coach Login »
Dr. Sears Wellness Institute
  • Home
  • Health Coach Certification
    • Overview
    • Courses
    • Course Format
    • Tuition and Registration
    • Ongoing Support
    • Continuing Education
    • FAQ
    • Organizations
  • Blog
    • Recent Articles
    • Healthy Living
    • Podcast
  • About
    • Our Team
    • Advisory Board
  • Contact
  • Menu Menu

Fat Terminology

Breaking Down Fat Terminology

There is a lot of misinformation circulating about fats (also called lipids) so here’s a quick overview on fat terminology you should know. If your brain could vote, it would pick fats as the most important nutrient.

Toddler-Health-CoachUnsaturated Fats

On the fat molecules are empty areas; let’s call them parking spaces. When there is plenty of room to park, these fats are called unsaturated. If lots of spaces are unfilled, the fat is called a highly unsaturated fatty acid (HUFA).

Saturated Fats

Along come cars (hydrogen molecules) that fill some or all of the parking spaces. The more parking spots that are filled, the fat-terminologymore saturated the parking lot fat molecule becomes. Because these spots are filled, the molecule becomes stiff. These saturated fats are healthy building blocks for tissues that require some stiffness such as the myelin of the brain. As long as these are eaten in the right proportions the tissue is healthy.

Hydrogenated Fats

Along comes an unscrupulous builder who decides to change the normal configuration of the parking spaces from natural to unnatural (resulting in trans fats, meaning the molecule is chemically crossed up), and the parking spaces are zapped with hydrogen cars (hydrogenated fats). This chemical mischief makes the fat molecule so stiff and sticky that other cars (e.g., oxygen) won’t park there. So the parking lot stays the same (hydrogenated fat sits on the shelf and doesn’t spoil for years).

Tissues love HUFAs because they act like multipurpose building material, changing shape to become whatever growing and healing tissue needs.

Try adding more fish to your diet. They are full of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. With this lesson in fat terminology we hope you can make the right choices about which fats to include in your diet.

  • Wellness
    • Healthy Solutions
      • Solutions for Expecting and Nursing Mothers
      • Health Concerns
      • Behavior Issues With Children
      • Nutrition Solutions for Learning
    • Healthy Living for Adults
      • Healthy Aging
      • Healthy Aging Success
      • Improve Your Eye-Q
    • Pregnancy and Delivery
      • 20 Perks of Exercising while Pregnant
      • Weight Gain in Pregnancy
      • The Baby Book
      • Foods to Avoid When Pregnant
    • Disease Prevention
      • Avoid Back Pain
      • Preventing Childhood Obesity
  • Solutions
    • Community
    • Healthcare
    • Health Coaching for Fitness Professionals
    • Schools
  • Inflammation
    • Artificial Sweeteners
    • Back Exercises
    • Exercises
    • Selecting Safe Seafood
  • Special Needs
    • ADHD Behavior
      • ADHD Info Webinar
    • Special Needs Sports
  • Assessment Tools
  • Healthy Tips
    • drsearstips
      • How to Reduce Sugar Intake
      • Health Benefits of Seafood
      • McDonald’s Ingredients
    • Lifestyle
      • Foods for Sleep
      • Importance of Vitamin D
    • Exercise
      • Anytime, Anywhere Exercises
      • Park Exercises
      • Selecting the Proper Athletic Shoe
      • Tips to Make Exercise Fun
    • Attitude
      • Laughter Heals the Body and Soul
      • Stress and Aging
      • Taking Care of Emotional Needs
    • Nutrition
      • Crave Healthy Food
      • Dairy Free Milk Alternatives
      • Dangers of Sugar
      • Dieting Difficulties
      • Fall Fruits and Vegetables
      • Fermented Foods
      • Flax, Chia, and Hemp Seeds
      • Health Benefits of Antioxidants
      • Omega-3 Benefits Skin
      • Protein for Kids
      • Sweet Substitutions
      • Food Additives to Avoid
      • Safe Seafood
      • Best Superfoods
      • Sugary Drinks
      • Traffic Light Eating
      • Food Label Terminology
      • Getting Kids to Eat Vegetables
      • Healthy Fast Food Items
      • Foods That Boost Your Immune System
      • Health Benefits of Omega-3
      • Fat Terminology
      • Whole Food Supplements
      • Why The Body Needs Water
  • Recipes
    • Craft Snacks
    • Easter Recipes
    • Easy After School Snacks
    • Fall Harvest Recipes
    • Healthy Grilling and BBQ Recipes
    • In-a-Pinch Picnic
    • Sears Family Recipes
    • Sugar-Free Dessert Recipes
    • Thanksgiving Trimmings
    • Breakfast Recipes
      • Green Smoothie Recipe
    • Healthy Spring Recipes
      • Springtime Seared Salmon with Sautéed Pea Shoots
    • Great Vegetable Recipes
    • Healthy Family Recipes
      • The-Doctors
    • Heart Healthy Recipes
    • Healthy Holiday Recipes
      • Healthy Holiday Breakfasts
      • Hearty Winter Meals
      • Holiday Appetizers
      • Holiday Baking
  • Smart Grocery Shopping
health coach certification

The L.E.A.N. Blog

  • Opportunities For Certified Health CoachesMarch 16, 2023 - 8:55 am
  • 5 Questions to Consider Before You Start Your Journey5 Questions to Consider Before You Start Your Health Coach JourneyFebruary 9, 2023 - 10:19 am
  • Unlock Your Potential as a Health CoachUnlock Your Potential as a Health CoachJanuary 12, 2023 - 7:57 am
  • stick-to-resolutionsMake Your New Year’s Resolutions StickDecember 29, 2022 - 9:33 am

Health Coach Certification

  • Certification Overview
  • Health Coach Courses
  • Course Format
  • Tuition and Registration
  • Ongoing Support
  • FAQ

T5 Wellness Plan

Dr. Sears Wellness Institute™

4933 Paramount Dr
San Diego, CA 92123
Phone: (866) 446-1967
Fax: (303) 558-4214

© 2023 Dr. Sears Wellness Institute ™ | All Rights Reserved |Privacy Policy
Scroll to top