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GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE FAT
February 2005
These days everyone is worried about their fat intake. Along
with increasing our waistlines, most of us know that a high-fat diet may
increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and some forms
of cancer. Despite the bad rap, fat is actually not all bad. Fat is an
important nutrient. When consumed in moderation, fats help with skin and
hair maintenance, vitamin absorption, provide fuel for the body, and improve
the taste of food.
When consumed in moderation,
mono- and poly-unsaturated fats can be good for you. Monounsaturated fats
may lower blood cholesterol and the risk of heart disease and help prevent
cell damage caused by free radicals. These fats are usually liquid at
room temperature. Nuts, olive oil and canola oil are good sources of these
fats. Polyunsaturated fats can also help lower blood cholesterol and are
commonly found in vegetable oils. Saturated fats are known as the “bad”
fats because they are usually associated with high cholesterol. They are
generally solid at room temperature and are found in high fat beef, butter,
cheese, and palm and tropical oils. Trans fats, also known as hydrogenated
fats, are chemically processed to increase the shelf life of foods. Recently,
trans fats have made headlines for having adverse effects on blood cholesterol
levels and increasing the risk of heart disease. Trans fats are often
found in commercial baked goods and some margarine.
READING NUTRITION LABELS
Currently, nutrition labels clearly indicate how much saturated and unsaturated fats are present, but the amount of trans fat is not listed. As a consumer, you must read the ingredient list closely to identify them. If the ingredient list contains the words shortening, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, or hydrogenated vegetable oil, the food contains trans fat.
HOW MUCH FAT SHOULD I EAT?
A general rule is to consume a diet with more mono- and poly- unsaturated fats and less trans and saturated fats. No more than 30% of your total caloric intake should be coming from fat. Limit the saturated fats to no more than 10% and trans fats to no more than 1% of your total caloric intake. For an average healthy adult, this equals no more than 65g of fat per day, with less than 17g from saturated fat and less than 1.5g from trans fats.
NOURISHING NEWS ARCHIVES
December
2004 Newsletter
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2004 Newsletter
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2004 Newsletter
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2004 Newsletter
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• Use olive or
canola oil instead of vegetable oil in dressings. .
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