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Monday, March 9, 2015

All About Fats


Recently a couple of people have been asking about the differences between dietary fats. I can definitely see how fats can be a confusing area of nutrition. So, I have decided to shed some light on the topic.
There are three main types of fat found in food: Saturated fat, Mono-unsaturated fat and Poly-unsaturated fat.

Another fat, known as Trans Fat, is produced in the cooking process of certain foods. 

Our bodies do need some ‘healthy’ forms of fat to help carry vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants around our body as well as maintaining adequate cholesterol levels.

SATURATED FAT (BAD FAT):
Saturated fat is found mostly in animal products such as meat, eggs and dairy foods (the exceptions being palm and coconut oil) and are usually solid at room temperature (i.e. butter/margarine). This type of fat has been shown to have direct effect in increasing LDL ‘bad’ cholesterol. Therefore, increasing the risk of heart disease.

It is important to add here that ‘Cholesterol’ per se is not found in food products and is actually produced by the body in response to eating different types of fat. When a product is advertised or marketed as “Cholesterol Free” they are referring to the fact that their product contains little to no Saturated fat.

MONO-UNSATURATED FAT (GOOD FAT):
Mono-unsaturated fat is found in plant products. These fats are normally liquid at room temperature (i.e. plant based oils). Accompanied by a diet low in saturated fat, these fats can lower your risk of heart disease by reducing LDL cholesterol levels and increasing HDL ‘good’ cholesterol levels.

POLY-UNSATURATED FAT (GOOD FAT):
Poly-unsaturated fat includes Omega-3, Omega-6 and Omega-9 fatty acids and are mostly found in plant and seafood products. These are “essential” fatty acids, which means they are critical for our health but cannot be manufactured by our bodies and therefore have to be obtained through dietary sources. These fats can also lower the risk of heart disease by decreasing the amount of LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. They have been shown to reduce HDL levels in some cases.

TRANS FAT (BAD FAT):
Trans fats are actually unsaturated fats which have been chemically modified to now have harmful effects on the body. They have been shown to raise LDL cholesterol levels while also lowering HDL cholesterol levels.
Trans fats are used to extend the shelf life of processed foods, typically cookies, chips, cakes, fries and donuts. Any item that contains “hydrogenated oil” or “partially hydrogenated oil” will also contain Trans fats.
Hydrogenation is the chemical process that changes liquid oils into solid fats, often used in the manufacturing process of margarine.  

Another common source of Trans fat comes from using plant based oils in the cooking process. Although olive/sunflower/canola/flax seed oil etc are plant based and contain predominantly ‘good’ fats.  Most have a very low ‘smoke point’. This is the temperature at which the bonds in these fats denature. Once you heat these oils in a frying pan, oven or grill, the temperature reached is too high for most of these oils to handle. Thus, chemical bonds break and Trans fats are produced.
A good oil with a high smoke point I like to recommend is Rice Bran Oil.
Other plant based oils can be used in salad dressings or added after the cooking process to avoid the production of Trans fat.
 
Here are some examples of where you can find respective fats in food products:


Saturated Fat
Mono-unsaturated Fat
Poly-unsaturated Fat
Dairy
   Full fat dairy products
   Butter
   Cream
Fats
   Palm oil
   Coconut oil
   Lard
   Copha
   Dripping
Meats and meat products
   Fat on meat
   Chicken skin
   Processed meats
Snack Foods
   Potato crisps
   Chocolate
   Commercial cakes/biscuits
   Pastry/pies
   Takeaway foods
Oils
   Peanut oil
   Olive oil
   Canola oil
Margarine
   Canola margarine
   Olive margarine
Nuts
   Peanuts
   Cashews
   Almonds
Avocado
Oils
   Safflower oil
   Sunflower oil
Margarine
   Flora Margarine
   Logicol Margarine
Nuts
   Brazil nuts
   Walnuts
   Hazelnuts
Seeds
   Sesame seeds
   Poppy seeds
Fish
   Salmon (fresh or tinned)
   Tinned sardines
   Tuna (fresh or tinned)
   Mackerel
   Herring


Five easy ways to cut the saturated fat in your diet and include unsaturated fats include:
  1. Choose Low or No fat dairy products instead of full cream.
  2. Choose lean cuts of meat such as chicken breast and heart smart mince or beef strips.
  3. Choose healthy cooking methods such as grilling and baking. 
  4. Incorporate avocado and fish high in Omega-3 fatty acids into sandwiches and salads wherever possible.
  5. Snack on unsalted mixed nuts or trail mix between meals.


Russell Nassim (APD)
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