First, there
are three kinds of dietary fat — unsaturated, saturated and trans fat. Each has
different effects on our bodies. If you want to eat healthy, think in terms of “love
it, limit it, or lose it.”
(1) UNSATURATED
FAT: Love it!
There are
two kinds of unsaturated fat — polyunsaturated and monounsaturated. Dietary
fats and oils usually contain a mixture of polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and
saturated fats. Fats and oils with higher amounts of unsaturated fat are
typically liquid at room temperature and start to turn solid when chilled. Corn
oil is an example of a primarily polyunsaturated fat, and olive oil is an
example of a primarily monounsaturated fat.
Unsaturated
fats can help reduce bad (LDL) cholesterol and triglyceride levels in your
blood and lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. They also provide
nutrients to help develop and maintain your body’s cells. Oils rich in
unsaturated fats provide vitamin E, an antioxidant vitamin most of us need more
of.
Polyunsaturated
fat also provides essential omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids that your body
needs but can’t produce on its own. These you must get through food. Omega-6
and omega-3 fatty acids are important for many functions in your body and
brain.
Unsaturated
fats are mainly found in these foods: liquid vegetable oils such as canola,
corn, olive, peanut, safflower, soybean and sunflower; nuts such as almonds,
cashews, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, pistachios and walnuts; fish such as
salmon, trout and herring; and avocados. Avocados are a delicious and colorful
way to add unsaturated fat to a meal and are very versatile.
The American
Heart Association recommends replacing bad (saturated) fats with good
(unsaturated) fats as part of a healthy eating plan.
(2)
SATURATED FAT: Limit it!
Saturated
fat is typically solid at room temperature, like butter or cheese or the fat on
beef. Most saturated fat comes from animal products such as lard, fatty beef,
lamb, pork, poultry with skin, butter, cream, cheese and other dairy products
made from whole or 2 percent milk.
Saturated
fat increases bad (LDL) cholesterol. Your liver produces more cholesterol when
you eat a diet high in sat fat — not a good thing. For people who need to lower
their cholesterol, the American Heart Association recommends reducing saturated
fat to no more than 5 percent to 6 percent of total daily calories. For
example, a person on a 2,000-calorie-a-day eating plan should eat no more than
120 calories or 13 grams of saturated fat per day.
(3) TRANS
FAT: Lose it!
Artificial
trans fats (or trans fatty acids) do not occur naturally. They are manufactured
by adding hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils in an industrial process that makes
the oil more solid. Partially hydrogenated oils are the primary dietary source
of artificially-produced trans fat. Trans fat is found in many commercially
fried foods and baked goods such as doughnuts, pastries, pizza dough, cakes,
pie crust, cookies, crackers, as well as stick margarines and other spreads.
For many years, trans fat was a boon for food manufacturers
because it is easy to use, inexpensive to produce, and lasts a long time, which
increases the shelf life of products. It also can alter a food’s taste and
texture. Many restaurants and fast-food outlets have used oils with trans fat
to deep-fry foods because it can be used over and over in commercial fryers.
Trans fat became controversial in the 1990s when researchers found evidence
that it had adverse health effects. Trans fat raises bad (LDL) cholesterol
levels, increasing the risk of heart disease. Trans fat is also associated with
a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
In June 2015, the FDA announced their determination that partially
hydrogenated oils (PHOs) are no longer “generally recognized as safe” in human
food. This means there is no safe level that can be consumed. Food
manufacturers were given three years to remove PHOs from products. Many
companies have been working to remove them more quickly.
The American Heart Association recommends avoiding artificial trans fat and
PHOs in your diet.
You can check the amount of trans fat in packaged foods by reading the
Nutrition Facts information and ingredients. If the amount of trans fat per
serving is less than 0.5 grams, the label may state 0 g, so be sure to check
the ingredients list for “partially hydrogenated oil.”
Putting it all TOGETHER
·
Replace saturated and trans fats
with unsaturated fats as part of a healthy eating pattern.
·
When eating out, ask what kind of
fat or oil foods are cooked in. Request unsaturated fats when possible.
·
Choose healthier, mostly
unsaturated vegetable oils for cooking and preparing foods at home.
·
If you eat meat, choose lean and
extra-lean cuts and remove visible fat and poultry skin.
·
Use healthier cooking methods
that don’t add saturated fat, like roasting, grilling, steaming or baking.
·
Choose fat-free (skim) or low-fat
(1%) milk, yogurt and dairy products.
ADD COLOR TO YOUR PLATE
The AHA’s healthy eating recommendations emphasize eating more servings of
fruit and veggies. An easy way to do that is to add color to your plate.
Look at your meal. If it looks a bit too beige, you may be eating foods
with a lot of saturated fat. You can improve it by adding some colorful fruit
and veggies.
Jazz up rice and pasta with some frozen veggies. Add plenty of vegetables
to soups. Add color to casseroles by sneaking some shredded fruit or vegetables
into the recipe. Omit the meat and double the veg for a meatless stir-fry.
Stack sandwiches and burgers with avocado, tomato and other sliced fruits and
veggies.
And it’s good for your budget: many fruits and vegetables are less than $1
a serving, and you can often buy in bulk in season and freeze for later use. A
piece of fruit is a healthy snack and almost always cheaper than anything from
a vending machine.
Source: HeartinSight
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