We’re often told to avoid ‘bad fats’ and encouraged to eat seeds and nuts, as they contain ‘good fats’. But what precisely makes a fat bad, what are the differences between saturated and unsaturated fats, which foods will you find them in and how can you make sure you’re eating a balanced and nutritious diet? After reading this article, you’ll have the answers to these questions!
Fatty Facts and Myths: What You Should Aim For
Many people believe all fats are equal: and, in terms of calories, they’re right. You should be careful you’re not exceeding 35% as part of your daily calories, or less if you’re trying to lose weight. However, there are huge differences between saturated and unsaturated fats
Saturated fats, especially trans fats, increase your cholesterol and therefore chances of heart and other cardiovascular diseases. They can also cause fat to build up in the danger areas: belly fat around your abdomen is worse than fat stored in your thighs and hips, as it hints your organs are encased increasing the risks of diabetes.
So, fats should form part of a healthy diet. Your target for a healthy intake of fats is to ensure you’re consuming unsaturated fats. In fact, you should be cautious of foods with “low fat” labels – they’re often stuffed full of nasty chemicals and sugar instead!
What’s the difference between saturated and unsaturated fats?
Saturated fat typically originates from animals. You’ll find plenty of it in red meat and full-fat dairy products, but even chicken and turkey have some unsaturated fat. Scientific studies have shown diets with large proportions of this fat lead to higher rates of cholesterol levels in the blood, especially low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. Put simply, high amounts of saturated fat massively increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and Type 2 Diabetes.
Think of trans fats like saturated fats’ evil cousin. Naturally, they only occur in certain foods in very small amounts. Unfortunately, the junk food industry have created concentrated trans fats from running oil through a process called partial hydrogenation. This not only piles on the pounds like its cousin; it increases bad (LDL) cholesterol and reduces levels of healthier high-density lipoprotein (HDL). The consequence: it increases the risks of cardiovascular diseases even further. Always read the label of processed voids and, if at all possible, avoid them wherever possible.
Both saturated fats and their derivative trans fats are grouped together as ‘solid fats’, as they’re both solid at room temperature. They include animal fat, butter and margarine.
Monounsaturated fat is an unsaturated fat found in many ingredients and oils. It gets its name from the fact it contains only one double bond. Unlike a diet rich in saturated fats, monounsaturated fats in moderation improve blood cholesterol levels. This is because their double bond help protect against reacting with hydrogen, protecting against LDL whilst increasing your levels of HDL. As well as reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, they also help your body in controlling insulin and blood sugar levels: helpful for those with or at risk of Type 2 diabetes.
If an unsaturated fat has more than one double bond, it’s called a polyunsaturated fat. These are found in most plant-based ingredients and oils. They carry the same benefits as the monounsaturated fats, but in high quantities may lower good cholesterol (HDL) levels. For this reason, you should aim for up to 10% of your diet (a third your total fat) to come from polyunsaturated; and up to a further 20% (two thirds) from monounsaturated fats.
Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat. is made up of mainly omega-3 fatty acids and may be especially beneficial to your heart. Omega-3 has been shown to decrease the risk of coronary artery disease, and may help protect against irregular heartbeats and high blood pressure. It’s also been shown to reduce risks of arthritic joint inflammation and help nurture our brains – protecting against memory loss and dementia, reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety and reduce the risk of a stroke. Try ensuring much of your polyunsaturated fats contains omega-3.
Learn the difference between Omega 3, 6 and 9 here
Food: Fat Contents
Unfortunately, food manufacturers aren’t required to distinguish between the different types of fat on the label. It’s important to remember which ingredients contain which fats, if you’re going to live a healthy lifestyle.
Monounsaturated fat is found in the raw ingredients, butters and oils derived from olives, most nuts (including almonds, cashews and peanuts), most seeds (such as hemp, sunflower and pumpkin) and avocados. Walnuts, flax seed, fish oil and oily fish such as salmon and sardines all contain more polyunsaturated fat.
Remember trans fats are the most important to avoid, and will be found hiding in processed preprepared food, junk (fried) food, candy and almost all baked goods with the exception of home or well-made products. Whilst food labels don’t distinguish between different fats, keep an eye out for partially hydrogenated vegetable oil as this’ll mean high levels of trans fats. Even some cheaper margarines use trans fats.
You might be interested in: the dangers of processed foods.
Saturated fats are found in dairy products (milk, cream, butter and cheese), red meat and eggs.
Tips on Avoiding Saturated Fats
By now you’ll know you should be avoiding saturated fats where possible, especially trans fats found in processed foods including cakes, biscuits, deep-fried foods and ready meals. If your diet is too high in saturated fats, you’re running the risk of high cholesterol leading to cardiovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease.
It’s all about swapping foods that are high in saturated fats with their unsaturated counterparts. Both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are fine in small amounts, and a healthy diet includes at least 20% (and up to 35%). Here’s some top tips on how you can achieve a healthy diet:
- Try swapping butter, palm and coconut oils, lard, and ghee with oils higher in unsaturated fatty oils such as those derived from olives, rapeseed and sunflower.
- Try cooking without the need for adding fat. Replace fried food with boiled, steamed, poached or grilled; and, if you are cooking with oil, measure how much you’re using to make sure it’s just enough.
- Choose leaner meat over red. Swap pork, beef and lamb with chicken or turkey; or, if you do want a little red meat, make sure you trim off and avoid the fat.
- Wherever possible, avoid pre-prepared food; even pre-prepared salad dressings can contain high proportions of bad fats. Instead, try making your own with olive oil, lemon juice and seasoning.
- If buying pre-prepared food, read the label to check the balance of unsaturated versus saturated fats.
- Opt for low-fat dairy products. If you’re having milk, opt for semi or even skimmed varieties; and keep your cheese consumption down. Soft cheeses, such as ricotta and cottage cheese, have lower saturated fats; or use smaller amounts of strongly flavoured cheese.
If you’re wanting to increase your levels of good poly and mono unsaturated fats in your diet, remember to eat plenty of oily fish or even take fish oil supplements: the benefits of omega 3 polyunsaturated fats form an important role in a healthy diet. Also try introducing avocado into your diet, as it has high levels of essential vitamins and minerals. Also, if you fancy a snack, try snacking on olives and nuts: as these also contain vitamin E and important minerals.
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