Fats, we love to hate them. Accredited nutritionist Caitlin Reid tells you how to separate the fat from the fiction.
Cut out bad fats, eat more good fats and think twice about the low-fat foods are just some of popular recommendations around eating foods-containing fat. In reality though, we simply can’t cut out all of the bad fats from our diet as food contains both good and bad fats. Read on to learn the truth about fats, as well as which foods you should eat more of and which ones you should limit.
Fats play an important role in the body
Fats are essential for a healthy body, as they provide insulation and protect organs. They are also an energy source and carrying vital nutrients including fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) around the body. Fats play an important role in food manufacturing and cooking, providing mouth feel and improving taste.
For good health, it’s important to make sure you are eating the right types of fat — limiting the bad fats and increasing the good fats.
But remember, irrespectively of whether they are good or bad fats, they both contain the same amount of kilojoules (37kJ/g), so don’t overeat them.
Good fat v bad fat
Not all fats are created equal. Saturated and trans fats are considered bad fats as they increase the amount of “bad” LDL cholesterol in the body, increasing the risk of heart disease. Trans fats also lower the amount of “good” HDL cholesterol in the body. Monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats are both good fats, because they reduce both total and LDL cholesterol levels. Monounsaturated fats also increase HDL cholesterol levels. You should include more unsaturated fats in your diet and less saturated and trans fats.
How much fat is too much?
You need some fat in the diet, however it’s important to include more monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and reduce the amount of saturated and trans fats consumed.
Here are some simple choices you can make to eat the right type of fats:
Switch from butter to table spread or avocado
Choose lean meats, skinless chicken and low-fat dairy products
Limit the amount of biscuits, cakes, chocolate and fast food consumed, as these are often high in saturated fats.
Include oily fish a couple of times per week
Snack on nuts and seeds.
Check the food labels and limit saturated fat intake to no more than 24g per day. If you need to lose weight, cut back on the total amount of kilojoules you eat rather than focusing solely on the amount of fat you eat.
Low-fat foods aren’t always the answer
While some low-fat foods such as skim milk and low-fat yoghurt have an important role in our diet, others like lollies and biscuits we could do without. When the fat is taken out of a product, taste is still important and as a result manufacturers add sugar and/or salt to ensure it tantalises our taste buds. This means you aren’t saving any kilojoules.
Remember, just because a product is low fat doesn’t mean they’re kilojoule free. Always read the food labels to see whether the product is a good choice.
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