TUESDAY TASTER - A Quick Chat About Fat: Fats are formed of fatty acids. Some fatty acids have essential health benefits such as omega-3 (e.g. fish oils) and omega-6 (e.g. vegetable oils), others less so. Fats: • Help the body to absorb fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K • Help in maintaining cell membranes • Protect our organs from damage • The body stores fat to provide energy when carbohydrate sources are used up, however, too much stored fat has negative health consequences There are three main types of fat: a) Saturated fats - are hard fats found mainly in animal products such as red meat, butter and full-fat cheeses. A high saturated fat intake is a key contributor to heart problems. b) Unsaturated fats - also known as ‘good fats’ are found in foods such as olive and sunflower oil, avocado, oily fish, nuts and seeds. Omega-3 and omega-6 are two unsaturated fats which are essential for health and must be obtained through the diet as the body is unable to produce them. They form part of the structure of every cell in our bodies. We need them to achieve and maintain a healthy heart, brain and healthy function of eyes, skin, joints, hair and immune system. It’s important to maintain a balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. They work together to allow the body to function properly – particularly for the balance of inflammation. However, as omega-6 is more plentiful in the diet (found in vegetables), compared to omega-3 which is generally only found in oily fish; studies show many Western diets are low in omega-3, which creates an imbalance. Although it’s healthier to consume more unsaturated fat than saturated fat, it’s important to remember that unsaturated fats still contribute to calorie intake. Calories from fat should make up 20-35% of daily total calorie intake, and saturated fats should be kept below 10% of total calorie intake. c) Trans fats - are unsaturated fats which have a slightly different chemical structure to normal unsaturated fats. Small amounts of trans fats are naturally present in foods produced from sheep and cows (so lamb, beef and milk). However most of the trans fat in the diet comes from the use of partially hydrogenated vegetable fat – this is a process where vegetable oil is turned into a semi-solid fat to make it more suitable for use in cooking and baking processes. Therefore hard margarines, some baked and fried foods can be high in trans fats, although most major food manufacturers are working hard to reduce the trans fat content of products. Replacing saturated and trans fats in your diet with unsaturated fats has been shown to decrease the risk of developing heart disease. Good fats – Unsaturated fats – most vegetable oils including olive oil, nuts and seeds, avocado, oily fish such as salmon or mackerel which contain omega-3 fatty acids, sunflower, rapeseed and olive oil spreads. Try to avoid or limit – saturated fat and trans fats found in ready-made baked products, fried foods, chocolate confectionery and whole milk dairy products. Click the link below to view a table displaying the fat content of various foods: #tuesdaytaster patient.co.uk/health/low-fat-diet-sheet
Posted on: Tue, 20 Jan 2015 07:00:00 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015