Don't Throw Out the Good with the Bad
Diseases of the heart remain the number one killer of adults in the United States, and sadly, the number of heart disease deaths seems to be increasing in our children, too. For many years, research has proven that lower fat diets, along with a few positive changes in our lifestyles, will reduce our risk of heart disease, certain cancers, diabetes and obesity. At last, we've all started to get the message.
Not All Fats Are Bad
Fat is one of six major nutrient groups, out of a long list of approximately fifty-five total nutrients, that the body needs on an ongoing basis (carbohydrate, protein and water are the other major nutrients). Fat supplies energy to the body, keeps our cells healthy, helps to regulate metabolism (the little running engine we have inside our bodies) and transports certain vitamins and minerals throughout the body. Fat also keeps our bodies insulated and warm and provides fat-soluble vitamins for proper bodily function.
Is there such a thing as consuming too little fat? Absolutely. If we do not eat enough fat, then the essential fatty acids (healthy and necessary properties of fat that help the body to function well) are limited, skin becomes flaky and itchy, and hair can begin to fall out. What is the minimal requirement? One tablespoon of oil (preferably polyunsaturated or monounsaturated) or fat per day. I bet most of us get it! Here's where some of it comes from:
• Fatty fishes
• All vegetable oils, including olive and peanut oil
• Low-fat dairy products
• Margarines
Fat is classified into two types:
• Saturated
• Unsaturated
Saturated Fats
Saturated fats are extremely damaging fats, responsible for clogging our arteries with cholesterol, and evidently creating inflammation around our artery walls, further advancing heart disease. They are found primarily in animal foods: fatty and processed meats, whole milk and dairy products including ice cream and cheeses, poultry skin, and lard. Several plant products contain saturated fat, as well, including palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil and tropical oils. These will be noted on the ingredient list of a food product (Food labels are discussed in more detail in Chapter 3). Saturated fats are solid or hard at room temperature, similar to butter in consistency. Avoid them!
Unsaturated Fats
The second type of fat is unsaturated fat, which is soft and liquid at room temperature. In general, most unsaturated fats do not seem to be quite as destructive to our vessels. There are two groups of these:
• Polyunsaturated
• Monounsaturated
The difference between the two is their chemical makeup. When we put them into our bodies, they present different things. For years, polyunsaturated fats have been some of the safest types of fat—corn, soybean, safflower and sunflower oils. All of these contain the healthy omega-6 fats, which are found in many plant oils and nuts, specifically walnuts. And, today, it is very acceptable, even encouraged, to put nuts back on our 'healthy foods' list—in small quantities, about 2 to 3 tablespoons per day. Research supports that these omega-6 fatty acids may help lower blood cholesterol levels, lower the bad LDL cholesterol, and raise the good HDL cholesterol, when substituted for saturated, or unhealthy, fat.
Omega-3: The Fishy Fat
The polyunsaturated fats talked about lately are the omega-3 fatty acids. These are primarily found in oily fish, and many studies prove that increased levels of these 'omega-3s' not only lower cholesterol levels in our bloodstream, they also help to decrease inflammation in the body. Scientists suggest that it is not solely high blood cholesterol and other fats in the bloodstream that are damaging to the arteries; it is this inflammatory process as well. Recent research supports the fact that fish is the main food source that may limit this inflammation, especially in artery walls, thus helping to prevent damage.
In the year 2000, the Scientific Conference on Dietary Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Health reported the significance of including these healthy fats in our diets regularly. Therefore, these omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish such as Pacific and Atlantic herring, Pacific mackerel, Atlantic salmon (wild), canned pink salmon, trout, oysters, whitefish, sardines and sablefish, are certainly better fat choices than the saturated versions.
My recommendation is to try to consume fish a minimum of four to five times per week. For those who are not fish-lovers, flaxseed and soybean, as well as walnuts, are suggested. Fish oil supplements are recommended, especially for those who already have heart disease, a family history of heart disease, or have an aversion to fish. Because the body is incapable of making these omega-3s on its own, they must be included in our diets. The FDA suggests no more than 2 grams (2000 mg) of fish oil supplement daily. (Heed the warning about usage and dosage for pregnant and lactating women, and those on anti-clotting medications such as aspirin or Coumadin [warfarin].) For the proper dosage, please check with your medical doctor or registered/licensed dietitian. Remember to choose a reputable and regulated supplement.
So, your first order of business is to study your food labels for these ingredients and choose foods very low in saturated fats. In fact, choose foods low in total fat; therefore, you eliminate many unhealthy culprits.
Monounsaturated fats, touted as the healthiest type of fats in general, became popular several years ago, due to the benefits that were publicized by the Mediterranean diet. The high consumption of olive oil within the diets of the Greeks and Italians is considered to be one of the primary reasons why they have lower levels of heart disease. So, here in this country, we have adopted the monounsaturates: olives and olive oil, peanuts and peanut oil, rapeseed oil, avocado, and other nuts and seeds. We are highly encouraged to replace our intake of saturated fats with monounsaturated fat—certainly to help lower our cholesterol levels—and maybe even to limit our risk for certain cancers, namely breast and colon. A word of caution—all of the fats are similar in calories: about 150 per tablespoon.
With regard to cooking and food preparation, there has been a shift over the past twenty-five years from animal to vegetable fats, which, until recently, seemed to be a healthier shift. In the next chapter, we discuss which type of fat current research suggests is the worst fat of all.
©2007. Ronni Julien. All rights reserved. Reprinted from The Trans Fat-Free Kitchen : Simple Recipes, Shopping Guide and Restaurant Tips. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the written permission of the publisher. Publisher: Health Communications, Inc., 3201 SW 15th Street, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442.
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