Fats are a vital part of a balanced diet. Some of the most important dietary functions of fat include keeping your skin healthy, insulating your body, cushioning your vital organs and allowing your body to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Fats also play a role in the metabolism of carbohydrates and proteins, and help us feel sated following meals.
Our favorite meals often contain different kinds of fats, including saturated, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and trans-fats. Some kinds of fat are essential to your health, and other kinds of fat an increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. You don't need to completely eliminate all fats from your meals. Instead, focus on choosing the right kinds of dietary fats. So how can you tell the good fats from the bad fats?
The Bad Fats: Saturated and Trans Fats
Generally, you can recognize the saturated fat in your meal because it's solid or semi-solid at room temperature. Some examples of saturated fats are butter, hard margarine, lard and shortening. Exceptions to the solid or semi-solid rule are palm and coconut oil, which are loaded with saturated fat. Saturated fats tend to raise cholesterol levels and are plentiful in animal proteins, including red meat and in most whole dairy products, like milk, cheese and butter.
In addition to saturated fat, the other unhealthful, bad fat is trans-fat, a man-made health menace. Trans fat is created when certain polyunsaturated oils are heated. Some trans fat foods, such as margarine, contain hydrogenated oils, which allow them to remain solid at room temperature. After being heated, polyunsaturated fat develops some of the negative characteristics of saturated fat. Other trans fat foods include commercial baked goods (crackers, cookies and cakes), fried foods (doughnuts and French fries), and shortening. Trans fat foods are capable of raising unhealthful LDL cholesterol in the body, while lowering the level of healthful HDL cholesterol. According to the FDA, just eliminating the trans fats present in margarine would prevent 6,300 heart attacks per year. Everyone concerned about good health should reduce the dietary intake of saturated and trans fats.
The Good Fats: Polyunsaturated Fats
Monounsaturated fatty acids are good fats, but non-essential in the diet since the can be synthesized in the body. Good dietary sources of monounsaturated fat include avocados, nuts, and olive, peanut and canola oils. Researchers believe that increased dietary intake of monounsaturated fats can help lower LDL cholesterol and reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Monounsaturated fatty acids are good fats because they lower serum triglyceride levels and contribute to heart health.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids are also good fats, and are essential in the diet since the cannot be synthesized in the body. Polyunsaturated fats can be broadly divided into two groups, linoleic acid, better-known as omega6, and alpha-linolenic acid, better-known as omega3. Omega3 fats lower the risk of heart attack, and reduce triglycerides levels in the blood. According to the federal government's Institute of Medicine, men should get 1.6 grams of omega3 fatty acids a day. Women should consume 1.1 grams of omega3 fatty acids each day. The American Heart Association recommends that those with heart disease get at least 1 gram of omega3 per day, and those with high triglycerides should consume as much as 2 to 4 grams of omega3, under a doctor's supervision. Omega3 fats can be helpful in treating other medical problems, including depression, asthma, and rheumatoid arthritis. Polyunsaturated fatty acids are the building blocks for postaglandins, powerful hormone-like substances which regulate inflammatory and allergic responses and play a role in keeping our skin supple and our hair and nails healthy. Omega3 fatty acids also promote proper eyesight and brain development in babies and small children.
Modern food processing takes away many dietary sources of omega3, such that an estimated 99% of people in the United States do not consume the recommended amounts of omega3 fatty acids. Two servings per week of a non-fried, omega-3-rich fish source (for example, Pacific salmon) will boost your blood levels of omega-3. Foods rich in omega 3 include oily cold water fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring, albacore tuna, anchovies, sardines, halibut, shrimp, snap-per and scallops. Eggs are also good sources of omega3, although high in cholesterol. If you enjoy salads, you can use flax seed oil (an omega-3 oil) and olive oil (omega-6 oil) as a tasty and very healthful salad dressing. For vegetarians, there are many omega3 plant sources as well. Very good non-animal sources of omega3s include cauliflower, cabbage, cloves and mustard seeds. Soy-beans, tofu, and dark green leafy vegetables (kale, spinach, mustard greens, collard greens, and Brussels sprouts) are also good sources. Other good vegetable sources include flax seed, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, pump-kin seeds and wheat germ. Soybeans, grape seed oil, pine nuts, pistachio nuts, sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds are also abundant sources of omega3 fats
Tips for Getting More Healthy Fats in Your Diet
A convenient way to supplement your diet is to add flaxseed oil to your breakfast cereal, or add it to soups, or your smoothie or a salad. Sprinkle your favorite nuts or sunflower seeds on salads instead of using bacon bits. Use canola oil when cooking and baking. Rather than reaching for the potato chips or crackers, try snacking on a small handful of nuts. Add peanut butter or other nut butter spreads to celery, bananas, or rice cakes.